According to the alliance agreement reached on Wednesday (November 24), Germany will remain part of the NATO nuclear sharing agreement under its new government, a move that will prevent a crack in the Western military alliance as tensions with Russia escalate.
Germany does not possess nuclear weapons, but possesses American nuclear bombs, which German tornado fighter jets will transport to their targets during the conflict.
It is not yet clear how the incoming government will deal with this issue, because some lawmakers in the new coalition oppose Berlin’s participation in the nuclear sharing agreement.
The alliance agreement supports Germany in fulfilling its commitments to NATO.
“As long as nuclear weapons play a role in NATO’s strategic concept, Germany is interested in participating in the strategic discussion and planning process,” the document said, referring to Berlin’s seat in the NATO nuclear planning team.
The new alliance also aims to replace the Luftwaffe’s aging Tornado fighter jet, which is the only Bundeswehr aircraft suitable for carrying US nuclear bombs.
Since the 1980s, the Luftwaffe has been using this jet aircraft. The Ministry of Defense plans to phase out it between 2025 and 2030 because of its high maintenance costs and difficulty in finding spare parts.
The government of German Chancellor Angela Merkel (Angela Merkel) had intended to purchase the F-18 manufactured by Boeing as an alternative, but the decision was postponed to 2022.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said last week that if Germany withdraws from the nuclear sharing agreement, US nuclear weapons may move further eastward-a move that will anger Russia.
The alliance agreement also includes an agreement to provide weapons for the next generation of German military drones. Some Social Democrats have previously opposed this.
According to the alliance agreement, the chaotic evacuation from Afghanistan in August will be the subject of a parliamentary investigation.
As part of NATO’s deterrence, the United States has deployed nuclear weapons in Belgium, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, and Turkey—all NATO allies do not have their own nuclear weapons. In the event of a conflict, the air forces of these countries should carry US nuclear bombs.
It is estimated that there are about 20 American nuclear bombs stored at Bucher Air Base in a remote area of Rhineland-Palatinate, Germany.
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg called NATO’s nuclear sharing “our ultimate security guarantee” during a visit to Berlin last week, adding that he is counting on Germany to continue working on the agreement.
Nuclear sharing also allows countries like Germany to occupy a seat on the highest seat in the NATO nuclear program group to discuss related issues in the alliance.
Stoltenberg said that if Germany withdraws from the nuclear sharing agreement, the US nuclear weapons may move further eastward-a move that will trigger Russian countermeasures.
