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German Tornado jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons are stationed at Büchel air base Nuclear sharing concept

In order to use them, however, the enemy's air defenses would first have to be eliminated, which at the most seems conceivable in a major war. "The bombs are a relic of a bygone era whose military significance today is minor," says Peter Rudolf, a political scientist at the German Institute for International and Security Affairs (SWP) in Berlin. Between 100 and 150 comparatively imprecise nuclear gravity bombs certified for Tornado aircraft are reportedly currently stored in Europe. The Netherlands, Belgium and Italy also participate in NATO's nuclear sharing arrangements. At least once a year, Bundeswehr pilots train dropping US nuclear bomb dummies.

In an emergency, the jets, with German crews, would fly US nuclear weapons to the target. Germany's contribution to Europe's nuclear deterrence involves German Air Force Tornado fighter jets stationed at Büchel air base in the state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Taking a dive: French President Emmanuel Macron visits the Suffren nuclear submarine German contribution to deterrence Theoretically, conceivable exceptions include a limited nuclear attack on a warship at sea. The US, on the other hand, relies on deterrence that includes nuclear weapons with reduced explosive power - US military planners envisage, at least theoretically, the possibility of "limited nuclear war."įrom a legal point of view, almost any use of a nuclear weapon, with the massive impact it has on civilians, violates international humanitarian law. They do not assume an exchange of nuclear strikes over several days, they believe the ability to retaliate or to stop the opponent with a "final warning shot" (France) to be sufficient. France and Britain rely on a so-called minimum deterrent. NATO's nuclear powers pursue different concepts of deterrence. The "umbrella" is based on the assumption that an adversary would not dare to attack NATO countries with nuclear weapons because that aggressor would have to expect a counterattack. Notwithstanding the US's role as nuclear umbrella, European countries could not prevent a nuclear attack with military means.