Finland is practicing using a nuclear weapon for the first time in the NATO military exercise starting tomorrow.
Aircraft from eight air bases are involved in the exercise, but NATO does not specify which countries the participants come from.
Even in Finland, there has been no wider announcement about going to practice. Prime minister Petteri Orpo (co.) however, confirmed at ‘s prime minister’s interview session last month that Finland is participating in the exercise.
He did not specify how the exercise will be participated in practice.
According to NATO dozens of aircraft are participating in the two-week exercise called Steadfast Noon. The exercise will take place mainly in the North Sea area and at least in Danish and British airspace.
According to information from the aviation website Key Aero, the exercise is involved Finnish Hornet fighters.
Research doctor at the Institute of Foreign Policy Iro Sarkkä considers unofficial information to be credible.
But according to him, the very participation in the exercise is a clear message from Finland that we are ready to take an active role in NATO’s nuclear weapons policy.
Participating in the exercise is a choice.
– Finland has now signaled that it is ready to take a bigger role and possibly also ready to develop its role in NATO’s nuclear weapons policy.
According to Key Aero, only thirteen of NATO’s 32 member countries are participating this year. For example, Norway and Sweden have not said that they will participate in the exercise.
Instead, Denmark strengthens its role by opening its airspace for the exercise. In the past, Denmark has only participated in the exercise in the territory of other countries.
Finland did not participate in the previous nuclear weapons exercise held in October last year, even though membership had already been confirmed in April.
According to Särkä, it was not a matter of a political policy not to participate, but that due to the long preparation time, it was not even possible to participate.
Finland’s new fighters could carry nuclear weapons
According to NATO, the Steadfast Noon exercise includes fighters that can carry nuclear weapons, i.e. missiles equipped with nuclear warheads. However, only training core tips are used in the training.
There are also bombers that can carry heavier B-16 nuclear bombs. In addition, refueling machines and electronic warfare machines take part in the exercise.
There are many types of tasks in the exercise. Särkkä estimates that Finland’s role could be support measures that are not directly related to the handling of nuclear weapons.
– I would think that Finland’s role will be conventional support measures. Finland’s F-18 fighters [Hornetit] for example, can escort machines whose mission is to carry nuclear weapons. It could also be, for example, intelligence-related support, electronic warfare support, maintenance and logistics support.
The countries participating in the exercise can decide for themselves what role they will take, or whether they will take part in the exercise at all.
In addition to Finland’s participation in NATO’s annual nuclear weapons exercise, this year, the fact that the Dutch F-35 fighters have been approved for the first time to carry a nuclear weapon is new.
It is also technically possible for Finland’s future F-35 fighters to carry a nuclear weapon. However, this would require a special certification of the machines and a political decision in Finland.
– In principle, certification would be possible when Finland has received the F-35 fighters. But that would require Finland’s political decision, which also depends on what the state of will is in NATO, says Särkkä.
According to Särkä’s interpretation, participation in nuclear weapons exercises is a “mid-level choice” and sufficient proof that Finland is committed to the development of NATO’s nuclear deterrent.
“Only” one hundred US nuclear weapons in Europe
Telling the public about the nuclear weapons exercise is part of the defense policy.
In recent years, NATO has slightly increased its information about its nuclear weapons exercises, but the communication is still sparse.
General Secretary Mark Rutte reminds us that nuclear deterrence is the cornerstone of NATO.
– Steadfast Noon is an important exercise for the alliance and sends a clear message to the other side that NATO protects and defends all its allies, Rutte says in his press release.
According to Iro Särkä, by telling about the exercise, NATO sends the message that the timing of the annual exercise is not related to any single world political event.
The nuclear weapons in Europe are largely American weapons imported here since the 1950s, which have been maintained and upgraded.
The United States is estimated to be in six different destinations in Europe now about a hundred nuclear weapons. They are mostly B61 bombswhich can be dropped from a fighter or bomber.
Nuclear the number has decreased violently. Back in the 1970s, the United States had around 7,300 nuclear warheads in Europe.
The United States’ nuclear weapons in Europe are in countries that do not have their own nuclear weapons: Turkey, Italy, Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands.