PRESS RELEASE

10 February 1998

Belgium’s Nuclear Bomber Force:
Targeting Iraq?

Following a sea-change in Europe’s security structure, NATO nuclear doctrine has begun a dramatic shift away from countering the Russian threat and toward countering the threat of proliferation of weapons of mass destruction. European sources reliably state that NATO’s latest military strategy, approved in June 1996 in a classified document called MC400/1, retains "first use" of nuclear weapons as a option in an offensive counterproliferation mission outside the Alliance area.

In early January 1998, NATO Secretary-General Javier Solana inspected US nuclear weapons stored at Kleine Brogel Air Force Base in Belgium.1  As revealed in BASIC work in 1996, Kleine Brogel is one of 15 bases in six European countries installing new storage vaults for nuclear weapons for use by NATO. 2  The nuclear weapons are under the control of U.S. 52nd Munitions Support Squadron, whose mission is "to positively control, reliably maintain, flawlessly account for, and promptly release U.S. munitions to the Belgian Air Force’s 10th Wing Tactical in support of it’s NATO strike mission."

Kleine Brogel is the home of Belgian’s 10th Wing Tactical, which includes a squadron of F-16 fighter aircraft trained to use nuclear weapons. The 10th Wing routinely runs exercises involving mock loading, deployment and use of nuclear weapons. As Secretary of State Madeline Albright recently stated, "[T]here is widespread participation by European NATO allies in collective defense planning, in basing nuclear forces, and in consultation arrangements."3 

It is highly unlikely that the Belgian Air Force will be involved in a strike against Iraq. However, NATO nuclear doctrine increasingly focuses on counterproliferation. The doctrine states that nuclear weapons may be used to deter the use of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery in crisis areas. New "adaptive target capability" is designed to enhance freedom of action for NATO forces so they can fulfill their out-of-area mission.

"NATO is struggling to find a new way to justify nuclear weapons in Europe. However, as Gen. Colin Powell noted following the Persian Gulf War, it is impossible to find a situation in which nuclear use would be appropriate," said Stephen Young, Senior Analyst at BASIC.

 1 "First inspection of US nuclear weapons by NATO leader," 9 January 1998, Agence France Press.

 2 "U.S. NATO Nuclear Arsenals 1996-97." By Nicola Butler, Oliver Meier, Otfried Nassauer, and Stephen Young, BASIC-BITS Research Note, February 1997.

 3 Question for the Record Submitted by Senator Harkin to Secretary of State Madeline Albright, Senate Appropriations Committee, October 21, 1997.

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