Oslo commits its F-35As to escort bombers during NATO nuclear exercise. A milestone for the alliance and a full-scale test of the F-35’s capabilities.
Summary
Norway has confirmed the deployment of a “small number” of F-35As in NATO’s annual nuclear exercise, Steadfast Noon, held from October 13 to 24. The aircraft are operating in an escort and support role alongside allied nuclear-capable bombers, without the use of live weapons. This participation marks an evolution in Norway’s contribution, which until now had been limited to observation or staff reinforcement. It is part of the NATO interoperability strategy and the build-up of the Norwegian F-35A fleet, the spearhead of air defense beyond the Arctic Circle. The F-35A is nuclear-certified within US units for carrying the B61-12 bomb; however, Oslo is maintaining its policy of no nuclear weapons stationed in Norway in peacetime and no national assignment to carry them. The exercise remains crucial for testing allied deterrence, the information superiority of the F-35, and multi-domain coordination in the face of hybrid threats to Northern Europe.
The announcement by Oslo and the framework of the exercise
Norway is participating in Steadfast Noon this year with F-35As providing support and escort, a contribution presented by the government as a “measured” but structuring step for the alliance. The exercise brings together around 70 aircraft from 14 countries, with flights over the North Sea and bases in the Netherlands, Belgium, Denmark, and the United Kingdom. No actual nuclear weapons are used; the objective is to train in Dual-Capable Aircraft (DCA) procedures and the protection of strategic vectors prior to any use. For Oslo, the interest is twofold: to lend credibility to its posture in the High North and to demonstrate the added value of its F-35 fleet within a multinational architecture.
The operational importance of “escorting” bombers
Escorting nuclear-capable bombers is a demanding role. It requires mastery of deconfliction, electronic warfare, in-flight refueling, and transitions between medium and low altitude flights. The F-35As protect the formation from enemy interceptors, jam or bypass hostile radars, and open air corridors thanks to their stealth and sensor fusion. The Norwegian Chief of Defense has explicitly stated that Norwegian F-35s carry out escort missions for aircraft capable of carrying nuclear weapons, a skill that is particularly relevant in times of crisis when the alliance must disperse, regroup, and then secure its vectors. The realism of Steadfast Noon lies precisely in these tactical sequences, without crossing the threshold of actual weaponry.
Can the F-35A carry a nuclear bomb?
From a technical and doctrinal standpoint, the F-35A has taken a major step forward: US units are now operationally certified to carry the B61-12 in their internal bomb bay, which keeps the radar signature to a minimum and preserves aerodynamics. This certification is not universal: only designated squadrons (USAF) have the DCA capability. Other allied fleets—including Norway—use the F-35A in conventional roles (interception, SEAD/DEAD, ISR, precision strike) and escort. This differentiation is in line with NATO’s nuclear policy and national choices: Norway does not station nuclear weapons on its soil in peacetime and does not assign its F-35s to carry the B61-12. Technically, it is possible to carry it on the platform; politically, Oslo refrains from doing so.
Norwegian policy on military nuclear weapons
Oslo’s position has been consistent for decades: support for NATO deterrence, but no storage of nuclear weapons in Norway in peacetime. The government emphasizes that the credibility of the alliance rests on a combination of conventional and nuclear forces, while actively promoting disarmament verification and the NPT regime at the United Nations. This “dual” approach has been reinforced by Finland and Sweden joining NATO, which changes the balance in Northern Europe while increasing training, hosting, and transit options for allied forces.
The specific advantages of the F-35A in a nuclear escort mission
In a Steadfast Noon scenario, the F-35A combines several effects:
- Long-range detection using the APG-81 (X-band) and passive sensors (DAS/ESM), enabling early warning and triangulation of threats.
- Tactical situation sharing via Link-16 and discrete links to synchronize jamming, decoys, and bomber maneuvers.
- Use of air-to-air munitions and, if necessary, SEAD/DEAD capabilities to open up routes for bombers and their escorts.
- Navigation and penetration based on encrypted mission plans, including precise trajectory management to remain below radar lobes.
Together, these measures increase the survivability of the formation, which is particularly valuable over the Baltic Sea, the Norwegian Sea, and the GIUK gap, where the density of enemy sensors requires strict electromagnetic discipline.
Strategic benefits for the alliance and for Oslo
For NATO, Norway’s participation strengthens deterrence by demonstrating that non-nuclear-armed allies can secure the operational chain, from taxiing to takeoff and on to firing points. For Oslo, the exercise consolidates the credibility of an F-35 fleet sized for the High North and familiar with the integration of American bombers (B-2, B-1B, B-52H) during recent training exercises. This interoperability reduces ramp-up times in the event of a crisis and reassures European partners of Norway’s ability to undertake missions of high strategic value, including escorting air defense vectors and covering deployment areas.
The practical value of the exercise for combat readiness
Steadfast Noon rehearses key sequences: securing depots, generating sorties, integrating mixed formations, refueling, coordinated penetration, and then recovery. Crews train to manage combined threats (interceptors, ground-to-air networks, drones, jamming) and cyber-electronic “injects.” Air traffic controllers, electronic warfare units, and refueling aircraft (KC-135, A330 MRTT, KC-46A) learn to work in a “combat cloud” where the F-35 serves as a sensor spurs. The annual rehearsal standardizes procedures and checklists between nations and allows for verification of alert times, weather windows, airspace constraints, and the resilience of dispersion bases.
Limitations and misunderstandings to avoid
The fact that Norwegian F-35As escort nuclear bombers does not mean that Norway is becoming a nuclear host nation or that its aircraft are armed with B61-12 bombs. The distinction is essential: this is a conventional role of escort and protection, within the framework of an alliance. Similarly, the nuclear certification of the F-35A within US units does not automatically apply to partner fleets. Finally, Steadfast Noon remains a training exercise; it is not a response to any specific event, even if the exercise is taking place in a context of increased hybrid threats against Europe and its military infrastructure.
Political significance in Northern Europe
Norway’s participation comes at a time when the Nordic region is undergoing military consolidation. Coordination with the Netherlands (host of this year’s exercise), Belgium, Denmark, Poland, Finland, and Sweden shows that NATO is expanding its core air defense capabilities beyond the traditional Tornado/F-16 duo. The fact that F-35s now carry out a significant part of the exercise sequences places this stealth fighter at the center of gravity of the allied nuclear posture. For Norway, the challenge is also domestic: explaining that the escort contributes to regional stability without changing the national policy on nuclear weapons.
Next steps: professionalizing the “team” and reducing friction
To capitalize on this, Oslo must pursue three areas of work. First, the technical availability of the fleet (mission rate, parts, software) to ensure responsiveness on alert. Second, joint training with allied bombers and tankers, including from dispersion bases and road sections, already tested by the Royal Norwegian Air Force. Finally, the integration of electronic warfare and cyber protection at the wing level, in order to harden the “F-35 bubble” against adversaries who will combine drones, cruise missiles, and information attacks. This trio—availability, interoperability, hardening—will determine Norway’s contribution to future editions of Steadfast Noon.
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