Watch Allied aircraft take to the skies over Europe to exercise NATO’s nuclear deterrence capability.
Synopsis
Thirteen Allies are participating in NATO’s annual nuclear deterrence exercise Steadfast Noon, a long-planned, routine training activity that is hosted by a different NATO Ally each year.
Around 2,000 military personnel from eight airbases and a variety of aircraft types, including nuclear-capable jets, bombers, fighter escorts, refuelling aircraft and planes capable of reconnaissance and electronic warfare from Allied air forces are taking part in the exercise to test NATO’s nuclear deterrent.
The 2024 iteration involves training flights mainly over host countries Belgium and the Netherlands as well as over Denmark, the United Kingdom and the North Sea. The exercise runs from 14 to 24 October 2024.
Footage includes shots of Dutch and German aircraft taxiing, taking off and landing to exercise NATO’s nuclear deterrence capability.
Transcript
---SHOTLIST—
(00:00) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(00:13) SLOW MOTION SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(00:26) MEDIUM SHOT – DUTCH AIR TRAFFIC CONTROLLER OBSERVING THE AIRFIELD
(00:31) MEDIUM SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 LANDING
(00:36) VARIOUS SHOTS – GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO TAXIS ON RUNWAY
(00:58) VARIOUS SHOTS – GERMAN AIR FORCE TORNADO TAKING OFF
(01:16) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAXIS ON RUNWAY
(01:27) SLOW MOTION SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAXIS ON RUNWAY
(01:36) VARIOUS SHOTS – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAXIS ON RUNWAY
(02:00) MEDIUM SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(02:08) SLOW MOTION SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(02:16) MEDIUM SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 TAKING OFF
(02:23) SLOW MOTION SHOT – DUTCH AIR FORCE F-35 AIRBORNE
(02:28) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Steadfast Noon is our annual live-fly exercise where we demonstrate nuclear deterrence. This year, we're using 60 aircraft from 13 nations, roughly 2000 personnel involved in this year's exercise coming together as one team again to deliver the deterrent capability that the Alliance needs.”
(02:45) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“During Steadfast Noon, we look at all the procedures that we use to bring this mission together. We start with mission planning, we go through those procedures and we provide a very robust scenario to look at the modern threats that we would face. We transition then into a week where we would fly, and execute the mission.”
(03:03) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“New this year is certainly the inclusion of the F-35A aircraft. The Netherlands was the first nation to bring this ability, bring this platform to the forefront. They've been the leader in this and have certified the aircraft. They're completely ready, and they're demonstrating it here this year. On top of that, we're bringing together different capabilities, particularly maritime and multi-domain aspects that we would need to achieve this mission.”
(03:28) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“So with the F-35, we are constantly looking at how we would evolve this mission, with new capabilities brings new tactics and new procedures. We look at those constantly, one of the lessons that we will learn out of this exercise specifically is how we will incorporate the F-35 in that role. We've been looking at this for a long time, the F-35 is certainly not new, but it is new to this mission, and we will look and take advantage of every opportunity we have, particularly in this exercise to learn the lessons that we can to improve.”
(03:59) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Russia’s continued rhetoric on nuclear weapons is something that we keep a close eye on. We continually keep a close eye on their capabilities as well. There certainly has not been a nuclear employment in Ukraine, the threats that Russia is making and constantly makes in that realm are concerning. What we also look at and things that we look at are particularly things like UAVs, one-way attack drones, because we have to protect this mission and protect the populations in the NATO countries. One particular thing we're looking at Steadfast Noon this year is again those capabilities that we're seeing globally, not just in Ukraine, but globally. And what would we call emerging and disruptive technologies, those technologies that could pose a threat not only to the safety or security of our weapons, but the effectiveness of our mission.”
(04:45) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“During this exercise, there are no nuclear weapons involved. I know that sounds interesting. Having a nuclear exercise with no nuclear weapons involved. We use simulated assets, we use simulated procedures where we need to ensure the safety because we also want to test things during an exercise and we can't do that with live weapons.”
(05:04) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“NATO is certainly not new to nuclear deterrence. The Alliance just celebrated its 75th anniversary, and NATO has been a nuclear alliance nearly that entire time. Steadfast Noon has been an exercise around for over two decades. We will continue to modify the exercise, to address the modern threats that we all face. But in the meantime, we will maintain safe, secure and effective nuclear deterrence for the Alliance.”
(05:25) SOUNDBITE – COLONEL DANIEL BUNCH – CHIEF OF NATO NUCLEAR OPERATIONS, SUPREME HEADQUARTERS ALLIED POWERS EUROPE (SHAPE)
“Everything in NATO starts with political control and a political consensus amongst the Allies to do anything with this mission. That once we take that guidance, we at the Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe transition that to the military effect and the military aspect. In the nuclear mission, that requires planning and then execution of the mission should the Alliance ever decide to make that decision.”
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