NATO leaders gathered in Ankara on Tuesday with defense and security taking center stage, as the alliance unveiled new military initiatives, announced multi-billion-dollar procurement plans and held talks on regional security challenges ranging from Ukraine to the Strait of Hormuz.
Speaking at the NATO Defense Industry Forum ahead of the leaders’ meeting, Secretary General Mark Rutte outlined a series of measures aimed at strengthening the alliance’s military capabilities as European allies seek to assume greater responsibility for collective defense.
NATO launches A400M strategic airlift fleet
Rutte announced that NATO will establish a strategic airlift fleet based on Airbus A400M transport aircraft, describing air power as essential to strengthening the alliance’s deterrence and defense.
The shared fleet will initially consist of aircraft already in operation, with additional aircraft from the industrial pipeline expected to join later. Airbus said the program will include Belgium, Britain, France, Spain, Turkey, Croatia and Poland.
The company said the initiative could eventually generate new aircraft orders, although it is too early to determine how many or when they might be placed.
The announcement provides a boost for the A400M program, whose export momentum has remained limited despite being designed to address Europe’s military transport needs in difficult operating environments.
NATO expands tanker fleet
The alliance also announced the addition of another Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) aircraft to its multinational fleet, which is based in Eindhoven, the Netherlands.
The program currently operates nine aircraft capable of both aerial refueling and troop or passenger transport. NATO aims to expand the fleet to 12 aircraft in the longer term.
Belgium, Czechia, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Norway and Sweden participate in the program.
The additional tanker is intended to help address capability gaps following reductions in U.S. contributions to NATO’s defense plans. According to a military source cited by Reuters, the reductions include refueling aircraft, fighter jets, drones and ships, although Washington has not publicly disclosed details.
Allies to acquire Triton surveillance drones
Rutte also announced plans for NATO allies to purchase up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high-altitude surveillance drones.
Norway, Finland, Germany and Denmark have signed a letter of intent for the acquisition, marking NATO’s first purchase of the Triton platform.
The drones will complement the alliance’s existing fleet of RQ-4D Phoenix intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft based at Sigonella Air Base in Sicily.
Both aircraft are based on Northrop Grumman’s Global Hawk platform, which has a wingspan of 35.4 meters and can remain airborne for more than 30 hours.
Rutte said intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities remain crucial for the alliance.
Saab GlobalEye selected to replace AWACS
In another major procurement decision, NATO officially announced plans to acquire up to 10 Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft in a program valued at approximately $4.5 billion.
The Swedish system was selected over Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail to replace NATO’s ageing Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet.
Rutte said replacing the Cold War-era aircraft would strengthen NATO’s ability to respond to modern threats, including drone swarms.
He also emphasized the international nature of the program, noting that while the aircraft are produced by Saab and mounted on Bombardier Global 6500 business jets, they also include significant contributions from U.S. industry.
Saab said deliveries could begin in 2030 if an agreement is finalized soon. The company estimated each aircraft would cost between approximately $400 million and $450 million.
The aircraft are not expected to have aerial refueling capability initially, although that feature could be added in a future upgrade.
Gulf ministers discuss Strait of Hormuz
On the sidelines of the summit, NATO foreign ministers were due to meet counterparts from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates to discuss the ongoing situation in the Strait of Hormuz.
The talks come despite an interim U.S.-Iran agreement that has yet to restore normal shipping through the strategically important waterway.
Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot said stability in the Gulf was directly linked to European security, noting that Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the UAE had all been targeted by Iranian attacks earlier this year.
NATO allies have avoided direct military involvement in the conflict, instead supporting diplomatic efforts to improve maritime security.
France and the United Kingdom are leading discussions on a multinational maritime mission aimed at ensuring safe navigation once tensions ease. However, diplomats acknowledge that any long-term arrangement would ultimately require Iran’s consent.
Iran has repeatedly opposed any foreign military presence in the region and last week rejected comments by French President Emmanuel Macron suggesting such a mission would move forward.
Diplomats said Paris and London hope to announce an initial mission in the Gulf of Oman, while Oman has agreed to cooperate with both countries to safeguard navigation in its territorial waters.
Earlier on Tuesday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency reported that a tanker had been struck east of Oman’s Limah, while Axios reported that Iran’s Revolutionary Guards fired at least two missiles at commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz.
Kremlin says it will closely monitor summit
Russia said it would closely follow developments from the Ankara summit.
Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Moscow viewed the gathering with great interest but regretted what he described as a series of “confrontational” statements about Russia made ahead of the meeting.
Peskov also said Russia hoped U.S. efforts to move the war in Ukraine towards a peaceful resolution would ultimately succeed, reiterating that Moscow remained open to dialogue.
His comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he expected to discuss the war in Ukraine during the summit and believed a resolution to the conflict was “getting closer than people realize.”
