NATO | Finland participates in a nuclear war exercise – the Ministry of Defense is completely silent

Ministry of Defence is completely silent about NATO’s major nuclear weapons exercise taking place in Europe next month.

British aviation website Key Aero said in Augustthat from 14.10.–24.10. The Hornets of the Finnish Air Force also participate in the organized Steadfast Noon exercise. The website states that its source is NATO’s spokesperson.

Steadfast Noon has to organize NATO’s nuclear weapons exercise every year, the purpose of which is to verify NATO’s operational plans related to a possible nuclear war.

In practice, it is about practicing the use of nuclear bombs placed in Europe by the United States, even though the exercises do not fly with heavy bombs.

HS asked from the Ministry of Defense on Wednesday, whether the Defense Administration intends to tell the public about Finland’s first Steadfast Noon nuclear weapons exercise.

“The Ministry of Defense does not comment at all on the exercise or Finland’s possible participation,” the ministry replied.

Over the years, NATO has been quite quiet about the Steadfast Noon exercises. However, the blackout curtain has been somewhat lifted in recent years. The reason is probably that NATO wants to remind Russia, which is waging a war of aggression in Europe, of its nuclear deterrent.

Foreign policy senior researcher at the institute Matt Pesu wondered on Tuesday in community service X how little attention has been paid to Finland’s participation with Hornet fighters in NATO’s nuclear weapons exercise.

“Based on the news, Finland’s ambition in NATO’s nuclear weapons policy is quickly rising to the middle level,” Pesu thinks in his message thread.

“The news itself is not surprising. Due to geographical reasons, Finland has a strong strategic interest in understanding the operational side of NATO’s nuclear deterrence policy. You learn best by being involved.”

Pesu also thinks that NATO is about to change its nuclear weapons policy and that the news would indicate a change in the line of communication to be more open. However, the possible line change does not seem to apply to Finland.

United States has placed 100-150 nuclear bombs that can be dropped from fighter planes in Europe. The exact amount has not been made public. The bombs have been placed in five countries and six different bases in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands and Turkey.

Finland’s Hornets are not lavets for nuclear bombs placed in Europe. Finnish aircraft are probably used in so-called snowcat missions (support of nuclear operations with conventional air tactics), where other aircraft support the arrival of fighters carrying nuclear bombs during a nuclear war.

Instead of Snowcat, the abbreviation csno (conventional support of nuclear operations) is also used in this context, which also includes non-air support.

Finnish Hornets could take part in a training scenario, for example, in destroying the opponent’s air defense and probes, which support the mission of fighters carrying nuclear bombs. Another option is that the Finnish machines play the other side.

According to the news from Key Aero, this year’s Steadfast Noon will take place in the airspace of Great Britain, Denmark and the Netherlands. In previous years, NATO has often emphasized that the exercises are organized far from the Russian border.

Correction 4.9. 3:54 p.m.: The map removed from the article, where the placement of nuclear bombs in different countries was correct, but the information about Sweden’s position is outdated. Sweden is a member of NATO.