PARIS: French and British air forces have for the first time staged a joint exercise simulating a nuclear strike, the countries' defence ministries said in a statement Friday.
The exercise, codenamed "Rummy" and which took place on Tuesday, involved RAF Typhoon fighter jets alongside French Rafale aircraft over the Mediterranean Sea, it said.
The exercise was conducted in compliance with security procedures, did not involve any actual nuclear weapons and was aimed at enhancing coordination between western Europe's two nuclear powers, the statement added.
After taking off from a base in northeastern France, "the French Rafales, escorted by RAF Typhoons, conducted a simulated nuclear strike", it said.
The exercise comes with tensions remaining high between Nato powers and nuclear-armed Russia some four-and-a-half years into Moscow's invasion of Ukraine.
French President Emmanuel Macron offers other European allies to share the protection offered by the nuclear deterrent of France, the EU's sole nuclear power after Brexit.
France's defence minister Catherine Vautrin noted that "possessing independent nuclear forces does not preclude coordination."
The joint exercise with Britain showed "our nuclear forces demonstrate that they can contribute even more significantly to the overall security" of Nato, he added.
Quoted in the French language version of the joint statement, UK defence minister Wes Streeting said the exercise marks a "new chapter" in the relationship between Britain and France on nuclear defence.
"This exercise demonstrates the depth of our partnership, the credibility of our deterrents, and our determination to remain united in the face of emerging threats," he said.