Doha: NATO conducted a military exercise amid escalating tensions with Russia. More than 70 aircraft from 14 countries and nearly 2,000 personnel are participating in the Steadfast Noon drill over the North Sea, which aims to test the alliance’s nuclear weapons system in case it is forced to resort to this weapon as a last resort in the future.
According to Qatar News Agency, Daniel Bunche, NATO’s head of nuclear operations, stated that the goal of the exercise is not to show force, but rather to carry out missions seriously, go out into the field, and demonstrate the full range of the alliance’s capabilities. For the first time, the alliance allowed a small number of journalists to observe the two-week exercise.
NATO confirms that this exercise has been long planned.