NATO's Steadfast Noon 2026 nuclear exercise will begin over Italian skies on 13 October

The NATO Steadfast Noon 2026 exercise, dedicated to the use of US nuclear weapons deployed in Europe, has left a public trace: the AIRAC Supplement S56/26 of the AIP Italy, the document with which ENAV communicates airspace restrictions to pilots. The text was published on 20 August 2026 and is valid from 13 to 20 October 2026.

The supplement defines Steadfast Noon 2026 as a large-scale multinational exercise with air and naval operations in national and international territory, over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The map clearly shows that aircraft from the air bases of Ghedi, Aviano, Amendola, Gioia del Colle, and Trapani converge over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

For each area and corridor, the document indicates the same type of activity: intense military air activity, live firing, and activities involving remotely piloted aircraft, namely drones. The text does not specify what type of drones will be used or for what role: reconnaissance, simulated targets, or otherwise. The formula is identical for all zones, but confirms that unmanned systems are part of the scenario of an exercise dedicated to nuclear weapons.

When

The activity is concentrated over four days (CEST times):

• 13 October, from 11:00 to 16:00
• 14 October, from 11:30 to 16:30
• 16 October, from 10:00 to 15:00
• 20 October, from 10:00 to 15:00

Where

The heart of the exercise is the central Tyrrhenian Sea, between Sardinia and Lazio and Campania coasts. Here are the STAR areas 1, 2, 4, and 5 and the JUSTIN area. STAR 1 extends from the sea surface up to flight level 600, about 18,000 metres.

Sardinia is also involved over land. The STAR 5 area starts from the ground and covers part of the interior and eastern coast of the island, including the area of the Salto di Quirra range from the coordinates. The STAR 5 West areas and the NOON N and NOON S corridors, from the ground up to 6,000 feet (about 1,800 metres), cross the central low-altitude Sardinia.

A network of transit corridors connects the bases to the training areas. The LAGOON corridors start from the reserved areas of Friuli and Veneto, in the Aviano area, and the Lombard and Mantuan plain (R65 and R103 Suzzara, not far from Ghedi). They then descend along the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines to the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The DEDALO and DEDALO BIS corridors start from Puglia, in the area of the Amendola and Gioia del Colle bases, and cross the peninsula westward. The EDWARD and MATTHEW corridors start from the Trapani area.

Several permanent military zones are also activated, including areas in the southern Apennines (EOLIA, R51) and the northern Adriatic (D35).

What it means for civil traffic

The document specifies that these zones should be considered temporarily reserved areas. The portions over the international waters should instead be considered dangerous zones. Activation can occur tactically, with coordination between civil and military entities. The actual unavailability of the routes will be communicated the day before.

Aircraft participating in the exercise operate without restrictions in the training areas. Civil aircraft flying visually are strongly advised not to enter the areas, due to the concentration of military traffic posing a danger to other aircraft.

What the document does not say

The supplement is a technical notice. It does not mention nuclear weapons, does not indicate which countries are participating, and does not state how many aircraft are involved. Yet the name of the exercise is that of NATO's main nuclear attack simulation, Steadfast Noon. The attached map outlines a system connecting Ghedi and Aviano, the two Italian bases where, according to independent sources, US B61-12 nuclear bombs are stored, to the training areas over the Tyrrhenian Sea.

The document is public and can be consulted on the ENAV AIP portal (www.enav.it) upon free registration. It is the official confirmation, in black and white, that from 13 to 20 October, Italian skies will host the dress rehearsals for a nuclear war.