Overview
- Flights continue through Friday with roughly 70 aircraft and about 2,000 personnel participating in complex training missions.
- Pilots rehearse simulated nuclear strikes using dummy munitions, with extra safety steps and mental preparation stressed for the role.
- U.S. nuclear weapons are stored at Volkel under NATO arrangements but are not employed in the exercise.
- Volkel commander Commodore Marcel van Egmond says the goal is to show the alliance can execute nuclear tasks to keep its deterrence credible.
- The Kremlin says Russian forces are closely watching and analyzing the activity, and analysts report scenarios included suppressing air defenses and a mock strike on Leeuwarden.