British and French air forces simulate carrying out a nuclear strike in first-ever joint exercise

The British and French air forces have staged their first joint exercise simulating a nuclear strike, with RAF Typhoons escorting French Rafale jets over the Mediterranean. The drill is intended to improve coordination between Europe’s two nuclear-armed powers and reinforce their shared commitment to European security.

Codenamed “Rummy”, the exercise took place on Tuesday evening after the French aircraft took off from Saint-Dizier air base. France’s armed forces ministry said it followed security procedures and involved no nuclear weapons; no fictional adversary was identified. France maintains 290 nuclear weapons and spends about €5.6 billion (£4.69 billion) a year on its arsenal, while Russia and the United States each have more than 5,000.