France and the United Kingdom carried out a joint airborne nuclear-strike exercise for the first time, with Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons escorting French Rafale jets on a simulated nuclear-strike mission over the Mediterranean on Tuesday, the French Armed Forces Ministry said on Friday. The crews, flying from Saint-Dizier air base in northeastern France with A330 MRTT tanker support in exercise Rummy, used no actual nuclear weapons, and Armed Forces Minister Catherine Vautrin said the coordination showed the two independent nuclear forces can contribute more to alliance security together. The ministry said the exercise was an important step in implementing the Northwood Declaration, last year’s agreement under which the two countries said there is no extreme threat to Europe that would not prompt a response by both.
France and UK fly first joint airborne nuclear-strike exercise
France and the United Kingdom carried out a joint airborne nuclear-strike exercise for the first time this week, with Royal Air Force Typhoons escorting French Rafale jets on a simulated nuclear-strike mission over the Mediterranean.
Why it matters: The drill puts last year's Northwood Declaration on closer nuclear coordination into practice, as France builds a forward deterrence offer to European allies amid doubts over US security guarantees.
Data as of Defense News report of October 23, 2026, read in full, reporting the French Armed Forces Ministry statement of October 23, 2026 on the exercise held October 20 to 21. Single-source developing item.
Sources
- France, UK carry out joint airborne nuclear-strike exercise for first time - Defense News - 2026-10-23