NATO launches annual nuclear exercise in Italy amid Russia tensions
NATO's Steadfast Noon exercise runs in Italy from 13 to 23 October, with 17 allies taking part after a tense exchange of letters with Russia over Kaliningrad.
NATO will hold its annual nuclear deterrence exercise, Steadfast Noon, across Italy from 13 to 23 October, with aircraft from 17 member states taking part, the alliance said on Thursday. Italy's air force said the drill, which will use the Aviano and Ghedi air bases among other sites, will not involve any real weapons.
NATO's nuclear policy director, Nassima Barrows, said the exercise was nonetheless a genuine nuclear exercise, even though Italy's own announcement had not described it that way. She said aircraft capable of both conventional and nuclear missions would take part, but that no nuclear weapons would be used.
"This is also a clear message to nations like Russia that there is no need to worry," Barrows told reporters. A senior NATO official, speaking anonymously, said the alliance intended to keep tensions calm even as Russian officials kept raising the temperature.
The exercise follows a tense exchange of letters between Moscow and NATO after allied exercises near Russia's Kaliningrad exclave in August, Politico reported. Moscow accused NATO of provocative actions around Kaliningrad and warned it was ready to use its entire arsenal, prompting NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte to publicly reject Russia's nuclear rhetoric as irresponsible. NATO officials said they had not seen a major shift in Russia's nuclear posture despite the rhetoric.
Steadfast Noon involves 17 allies this year, up from 14 in 2025 and 13 in 2024, with Turkey also taking part and US aircrew and maintenance personnel present, ANSA reported. France is not involved because it has chosen not to join NATO's nuclear planning group, though the alliance welcomed a separate advanced-deterrence initiative launched by French President Emmanuel Macron, which ten European countries have joined. The drill will also involve dual-capable aircraft and ground troops training to load, fuel and maintain the planes, a senior NATO military official said.
In Italy, the exercise drew domestic criticism after the air force's own statement did not mention its nuclear nature. Angelo Bonelli, a lawmaker from the Alliance of Greens and Left, said he would question defence minister Guido Crosetto over why parliament had not been informed of an exercise of this scale on Italian soil.
What we know
- NATO's Steadfast Noon nuclear exercise runs in Italy from 13 to 23 October, with aircraft from 17 member states, including the US and Turkey.
- Italy's air force said no real weapons would be used; NATO's nuclear policy director Nassima Barrows confirmed it is nonetheless a genuine nuclear exercise.
- The drill follows a tense letter exchange between Moscow and NATO after allied exercises near Kaliningrad in August; Russia has warned it is ready to use its entire arsenal.
- France is not taking part because it has not joined NATO's nuclear planning group, though it supports a separate deterrence initiative joined by ten European countries.
- An Italian lawmaker said he would question the defence minister over why parliament was not informed of the exercise's scale.
Why it matters for Europe
Steadfast Noon is NATO's most visible annual demonstration of its nuclear deterrent, and this year's exercise comes against a backdrop of friction with Russia over Kaliningrad, sabotage accusations and hybrid attacks across Europe. How NATO and Russia manage messaging around the drill, each insisting the other is responsible for stoking tension, will be watched closely by European governments already on edge about air and ground incursions near NATO's eastern border.
Sources
Reported by 16 reports from 13 independent outlets in 7 countries.
- ANSA: L'Aeronautica: 'L'esercitazione Nato in Italia senza armi reali
- Il Fatto Quotidiano: Esercitazione Nato in Italia, la Difesa: “Non saranno usate armi reali”. Ma l’Alleanza conferma: “Sarà nucleare”
- Adnkronos: Nato, in Italia dal 13 al 23 ottobre l'esercitazione nucleare annuale
- Daily Sabah: NATO to launch annual nuclear deterrence drills in Italy amid tensions
- Știripesurse: NATO va desfăşura în Italia exerciţiul său nuclear anual
Source balance
PremiumSee how the 13 outlets behind this story spread from left to right, and which are official or OSINT sources.
Free during the launch: create an account →Log inHow we rate sources
Intelligence file
PremiumSee how we verified this story
Confidence and impact scores, 9 more sources, the full situation report and the event timeline.
Launch offer: free for members until 31 October 2026
Questions and answers
- What is Steadfast Noon?
- It is NATO's annual nuclear deterrence exercise, held this year in Italy from 13 to 23 October with aircraft from 17 member states.
- Will real nuclear weapons be used?
- No. NATO and Italy's air force both said no live weapons, nuclear or otherwise, would be used in the exercise.
- Why is Russia angry about the exercise?
- Moscow sent NATO a letter accusing it of provocative actions near Kaliningrad after August exercises there, and warned it was ready to use its entire arsenal.
This article was written with AI assistance from 14 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.