Europe is sending the message that it is stepping up to its own defense by investing billions in a military buildup supposedly aimed at defending against the alleged Russian threat. A defense industry forum today in Ankara, Turkiye, opening day of the NATO Summit, was MC’d by NATO Secretary Mark Rutte, who announced and extolled billions of euros worth of new industry contracts, with several objectives obviously in mind. NATO has turned up the volume on its messaging that it must rearm against Russia, spend more funds in Europe–a message aimed to please Donald Trump, and pump up the economy in the process.
Rutte said during a July 6 press conference that the forum “will be the platform where we showcase how we’re working with industry to deliver the capabilities that credible deterrence and defense demand. We will announce tens of billions in new contracts that will provide the crucial kit we need to deter and defend. And when our industries, from Arkansas to Ankara, combine their strengths and step up supply, the result is not only improved security,” but also “support[s] hundreds of thousands of jobs, on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Among the deals announced were the following:
11 alliance members will pool funds to purchase 10 Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft to replace NATO’s aging fleet of Boeing-built E-3 AWACS aircraft, a deal said to be worth about $5 billion, reported Reuters.
Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall signed a memorandum of understanding on Tuesday to jointly produce ATACMS missiles in Germany.
