WEBVTT

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I .

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Steadfast noon is our annual lively

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exercise this year . It includes 14

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different nations flying over 70

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different aircraft in a variety of

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different roles . Steadfast Noon is a

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nuclear deterrence exercise , but no

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nuclear weapons will be used or

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exercised with during this exercise .

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That sounds interesting and different ,

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but it is about demonstrating the

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capabilities of the aircraft and the

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people maintaining them . Steadfast new

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is a routine exercise and is not .

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against any one nation . However , we

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do look at the real threats that we

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would face . Part of those are emerging

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and disruptive technologies , and we

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package and mission plan around those

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to provide the biggest operation that

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we can to address those real world

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threats . Steadfast noon 2025 this year ,

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uh , we have the F-35 performing the

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role from uh Vocal Air Force Base .

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This is the first year where the F-35

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is going to be leading this mission ,

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uh , in a variety of different

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capabilities , but primarily in the .

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Insteadfast noon we exercise aircraft

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in a variety of different roles that

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includes the strike aircraft and the

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strike package that gets over the

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target , but to get to the target we

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have to have other aircraft in

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supporting roles to get there . That

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includes tanker aircraft , command and

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control aircraft , and other strike

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aircraft to protect the aircraft to get

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to the target . Part of what we

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exercise during Steadfast noon is the

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command and control aspects that it

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takes to pull off this operation . That

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includes weeks of mission planning and

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getting ready to conduct these

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exercises with uh all the assets

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involved . Nuclear deterrence is a

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mission that the alliance has long

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performed . One of the things that is

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new this year that we're looking at is

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emerging and disruptive technologies ,

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particularly the drone threat . We've

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seen that during Eastern century

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activities , uh , and we've seen it

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here , particularly with the Dutch

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F-35s performing both of those missions

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at the same time . The nuclear planning

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group is the decision making body

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within the alliance for all operations

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that would be conducted with nuclear

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weapons . We at SAA take that guidance

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and conduct the military planning

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necessary to conduct those operations .

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Since 1949 , nuclear deterrence has

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been a core part of NATO's collective

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defense and mutual security commitment .

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And as long as nuclear weapons exist ,

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NATO will remain a nuclear alliance .

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In an increasingly uncertain world ,

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nuclear deterrence remains the

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cornerstone of line security , and

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NATO's nuclear forces are a vital

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component of our overall deterrence and

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defense posture . The allies come

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together in the nuclear planning group

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to make consensus decisions . Over any

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and all aspects of NATO's nuclear

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forces , nothing is delegated down to

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the military . All decisions need to be

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made at a political level , and that

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again is by consensus how do the allies

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come together to consult on these

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issues to make decisions in peacetime

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or in crisis or conflict . This year

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NATO is once again holding its annual

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nuclear deterrent exercise Steadfast

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noon . This is a long planned event .

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It's a routine exercise not linked to

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any real world events , and it's not

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directed against any country . In

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Steadfast noon , allies are

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participating in a variety of different

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ways , providing different types of

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aircraft , some of which are certified

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for a nuclear mission and must be

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prepared to conduct it . But also

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supporting aircraft that are in a

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conventional role such as tankers or

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fighter escorts to be able to show how

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we can come together , be interoperable ,

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be ready , and hence very effective and

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credible if we ever have to conduct

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this mission and allies can also

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provide their airspace , air bases ,

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supporting personnel , really a visible

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expression of how we come together on

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nuclear deterrence . In an alliance of

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32 democratic nations , it's , it's

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important that we talk with our

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populations about how we're providing

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for their security and nuclear

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deterrence is the cornerstone of

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alliance security . This year in

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Steadfast noon we're being more open

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and transparent to show how the allies

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are coming together , providing

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different types of aircraft or other

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capabilities to . Be able to operate

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together effectively as one force to be

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able to support NATO's nuclear

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deterrence . This is about how we are

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reassuring our populations and we are

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taking prudent measures to provide for

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their security and also deterring any

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potential adversary .