British military aircraft have taken part in a French nuclear air training operation for the first time, bringing the two countries into closer cooperation on a part of defense that France has usually handled alone. The mission involved fighter jets from both nations flying over the Mediterranean while practicing how an airborne nuclear attack could be carried out.
The operation was a simulation, with no live nuclear weapons involved. French defense officials released information about the training on Friday, following two days of activity on October 20 and 21.
The exercise was given the name Rummy. Crews began their flights at Saint-Dizier in northeastern France, with British Typhoon fighters accompanying French Rafale aircraft as the mission moved toward the Mediterranean.
The French aircraft were responsible for the simulated attack, while the British planes provided escort support. Refueling aircraft were part of the training as well, allowing different sections of the two air forces to take part in the same operation.
France’s military chief, General Fabien Mandon, shared details of the activity through X. He reported that the crews had worked well together and were able to coordinate their movements during the exercise. Photographs accompanying his post showed British fighter aircraft on the ground, including one identified by markings from the RAF’s 29 Squadron.
The training follows a commitment made by London and Paris last year to work more closely on nuclear matters. That agreement, called the Northwood Declaration, set out plans for the countries to improve coordination while continuing to operate their own defense systems.
The two nations do not have identical nuclear capabilities. France has aircraft equipped for nuclear missions as well as submarines carrying ballistic missiles, while Britain’s nuclear deterrent is based on its submarine force.
French minister Catherine Vautrin addressed the cooperation, explaining that separate national nuclear forces can still support each other. The exercise did not change which government has authority over its own weapons.
Britain’s Defence Secretary Wes Streeting also commented publicly on the training. He welcomed the British role in the French operation and linked it to the countries’ continuing defense relationship and their commitments to European security.
The exercise comes during a period of concern over European defense arrangements. France has been discussing a wider deterrence approach with other European countries, with Russia’s actions and uncertainty over future American security support forming part of the situation.
One aspect of the training drew attention from French defense researcher Etienne Marcuz. He pointed to how unusual it was for Britain’s aircraft to become involved in an area of French military activity that had remained nationally operated for decades.
France has maintained its strategic airborne force since the 1960s. Its crews already carry out their own nuclear mission rehearsals, but the British role in Rummy introduced a different arrangement, with foreign fighters helping support the French aircraft.
The French government has kept the limits of that cooperation clear. Neither country is handing over control of nuclear decisions, and both continue to reserve any possible use of those weapons for extreme cases of legitimate defense.
Britain = Green
France = Blue
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