In the coming week, the German Air Force will take part in the NATO exercise "Steadfast Noon", in which numerous aircraft from the alliance will practice defending against and reacting to a nuclear attack.

The Ministry of Defense has refused to provide more detailed information, as it has in previous years.

Peter Carstens

Political correspondent in Berlin

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With a number of Tornado aircraft, Germany is part of NATO's nuclear umbrella.

The machines belong to the tactical air force squadron 33 in Büchel in the Eifel.

Atomic bombs are also stored there under American control, which the Luftwaffe could carry to the target in the event of a nuclear conflict.

According to NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, Steadfast Noon is a long-planned deterrent exercise and "routine training to keep deterrence safe and effective."

Last year the annual exercise was carried out mainly in the airspace over northern Italy;

NATO had previously announced this as well.

Where exactly the NATO scenario will be located this year is not yet known and will not be publicly communicated by the Ministry of Defense or the Air Force.

Germany wants and has to take part as part of its alliance obligations, as do 13 other nations.

The Air Force operates a total of 46 Tornados at the Büchel squadron, but only some of them are operational due to their age.

Due to construction work in Büchel, part of the fleet is currently stationed in Nörvenich near Cologne.

Stoltenberg: Nuclear deterrence "safe and effective"

Meanwhile, peace groups called for demonstrations there on October 22 against the maneuver.

According to its own account, the association is able, among other things, to provide close air support for ground troops, but also to take action against "hard, deep and distant targets".

In recent years, there have been repeated calls in Germany for nuclear weapons to be withdrawn from Büchel and for nuclear sharing to be phased out.

In particular, the SPD and the Greens seemed no longer interested in continuing, the SPD in the grand coalition blocked for years a successor regulation for the outdated Tornados, some of which had been in flight operations for decades.

After taking over government, Chancellor Olaf Scholz (SPD) then initiated a successor plan by opting for American F-35 aircraft.

These aircraft can be certified for nuclear weapons in the foreseeable future.

It is planned to purchase 35 F-35 aircraft, which could be used from 2027.

Stoltenberg had said: "Now is the right time to act decisively".

It must be made clear that NATO will defend all allies.

The nuclear deterrent is "safe and effective".