History: joint British-French nuclear exercise

British fighter jets joined a French Air Force exercise practicing a nuclear strike for the first time, held on October 20–21 in the Mediterranean region – the British and French defense ministries announced on Friday. During the exercise, codenamed Rummy, French Rafale fighters taking off from the Saint-Dizier air base were escorted by Typhoons of the British Royal Air Force, and no actual nuclear weapons were used during the operation.

The joint flight marks the latest step in the cooperation that London and Paris agreed to strengthen in July 2025, when threats facing Europe and uncertainty surrounding the American security commitment both made closer coordination between the two European nuclear powers more urgent. Held amid tensions with Russia, the exercise tested the cooperation between France's airborne nuclear capability and British fighter escort. French Defense Minister Catherine Vautrin stressed that maintaining independent nuclear forces is compatible with coordinating their activities, and that the participation of British aircraft shows the deepening cooperation between the two countries. British Defense Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted their shared responsibility for Europe's security and sent a message to potential adversaries that London and Paris are united in their commitment to maintaining deterrence.

Decisions on the use of nuclear weapons, however, remain a separate national competence

The rapprochement also fits into a broader European initiative by Emmanuel Macron: in March, the French president announced the expansion of his country's nuclear arsenal and offered European partners joint exercises as well as the possibility of temporarily hosting French military assets capable of nuclear missions. According to figures cited by Reuters, France has around 290 nuclear warheads and spends roughly €5.6 billion a year maintaining its arsenal, which can be deployed from submarines and aircraft; Britain's stockpile is estimated at 225 warheads, while both the United States and Russia have more than five thousand each.

Ugar