A war between russia and ukraine and growing international tension have raised concerns about the possible use of nuclear weapons. Among the nations that, within their territory, shelter atomic bombs, it is also Italy.
Why does Italy have atomic bombs on its territory?
Although it does not have its own atomic weapons, Italy hosts some bombs as a member of the NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization), as part of the Alliance's nuclear deterrence sharing program.
Atomic bombs are considered by NATO to be a central component with regard to their deterrence and defense capabilities. According to the Alliance, in fact, the maintenance of atomic bombs has the objective of protecting peace, preventing threats and deterring other nations from possible aggression against member countries.
NATO has made clear that the circumstances in which the Alliance could actually use nuclear weapons are “extremely remote.” That said, if the security of one of the countries that are part of the Atlantic Pact is threatened, “NATO has the capacity and determination to impose costs on the adversary that would be unbearable and that would far outweigh the benefits that any enemy could expect to obtain.”
The United States of America, the United Kingdom and France have nuclear weapons within NATO. The Alliance's atomic deterrence, however, as mentioned, is also based on the US nuclear sharing in European territory and in this context, among those who welcome the United States' atomic orders, there is also Italy.
The atomic bombs of the United States of America present in Italy, as well as those found in other European countries participating in the NATO sharing program, are under the absolute control and custody of the United States.
Italy and all other countries that host nuclear devices therefore have no possibility of using them. Its role, on the other hand, is to guarantee military support with “dual capacity” aircraft, that is, capable of carrying conventional and atomic weapons.
According to NATO, “nuclear sharing plays a vital role in the Alliance's interconnections and continues to be one of the vital components of the security guarantees of the Euro-Atlantic area”.
Atomic bombs in Italy: what we know
For obvious security reasons, NATO has never officially communicated how many atomic bombs are present in the various Alliance countries, let alone their precise location. Several journalistic inquiries, however, have tried over time to reveal where they are.
According to various press reports, as reported by the 'Sky Tg 24', the number of atomic bombs in Italy would be between 70 and 90 units.
Italy has many fallout shelters and in Italy there are also several NATO and American bases, but according to what is reported by 'The messenger', the bases in Italy that actually host the atomic bombs are only two and specifically the one in Aviano, near Pordenone in Friuli Venezia Giulia, and that of Ghedi, in the province of Brescia in Lombardy.
The Aviano base (pictured) is located at the foot of the Prealpi Carniche, about 15 kilometers north of Pordenone. The Ghedi base is located 5 kilometers from the Lombard municipality and approximately 25 km south of the city of Brescia.
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