The annual training drills are designed to assess all US Stategic Command mission areas with a specific focus on the West’s nuclear readiness to “curb, locate and, if necessary, avert strategic attacks on the US and its allies”.
Forces personnel from the UK, Australia, Canada, Denmark and South Korea are also taking part in this year’s war games.
US Strategic Command chief General John E. Hyten said: “For Global Thunder 2019, the headquarters staff, USSTRATCOM components and subordinate units are participating in this exercise to test readiness and ensure a safe, secure, ready and reliable strategic deterrent force.
“The nuclear triad is the backbone of strategic deterrence.”
He continued: “Exercises like these integrate our unique capabilities across the joint force, in order to deter strategic threats and defend the nation.
“Our forces must be ready and prepared to execute orders globally wherever and whenever needed.”
Gen Hyten said personnel from allied forces integrate into senior leadership teams and work across a broad spectrum of areas, offering legal, public affairs and policy support as well as targeting and information operations insight.
He said: “Deterrence in the 21st century has to be a global approach and it must involve our allies and partners.
“This is why Global Thunder is a multinational exercise that operates on a global scale.
“Large-scale exercises like Global Thunder involve extensive planning and coordination to provide unique training for assigned units and our allies.”
US Strategic Command is responsible for strategic deterrence, nuclear operations, space operations, joint electromagnetic spectrum operations, global strike, missile defence and analysis and targeting.
Global Thunder 2019 are the first military manoeuvres since the US announced it was pulling out of the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty with Russia – an agreement dating from the Cold War era.
Credit: The UK EXPRESS