Jed Babbin
Washington Times, Oct. 21, 2022
“The problem with all of these exercises is that both we and our principal adversaries know that our forces are not prepared to fight a major war.”
Military exercises between the United States and its allies’ forces have always had two purposes: first, to train with our allies so we can fight better together, and second, to show our adversaries some of the capabilities of our deterrent forces.
Since February, and in recent weeks, our adversaries’ provocations have caused us, some of our NATO allies and both South Korea and Japan to conduct exercises of up to two weeks’ length. But what, precisely, did they accomplish? Apparently not much.
The biggest provocation of the year so far was Russian President Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. The annual NATO exercise “Steadfast Noon” has been conducted for about a dozen years. It involves far fewer of NATO’s military assets than those committed to many exercises during the Cold War, but it has enough for its particular purpose.
This year’s exercise is intended to counter Mr. Putin’s frequent nuclear saber rattling during his Ukraine war. Steadfast Noon’s purpose is to train NATO nuclear-capable air forces in the use of tactical nuclear weapons.
According to NATO, 14 nations and about 60 aircraft of various types are participating in Steadfast Noon. The exercise simulates an event in which the U.S. would share its nuclear arsenal with certain allies enabling their aircraft to drop tactical nuclear weapons. NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said the long-planned exercise would not be canceled because of the war in Ukraine.
Russia is also holding annual nuclear exercises at about the same time Steadfast Noon happens. Called “Grom,” the Russian exercise typically includes missile launches and large-scale maneuvers of strategic nuclear forces including submarines. … source