NATO update

 

10 July 2026 Update Secretary General on the Ankara Summit: NATO delivers The NATO Summit in Ankara concluded on 8 July 2026. Secretary General Mark Rutte said the message from Ankara was clear: NATO delivers. He explained how defence investment was rising, new capabilities are being delivered, defence industrial production is expanding, and that European Allies and Canada are assuming greater responsibility for their security. “We are rebalancing our security for the better, and that is what NATO 3.0 is all about,” he said. Read more Tens of billions in new procurement deals revealed at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara Major new procurement deals were announced at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum on 7 July 2026 which will boost defence production and innovation across the Alliance, and provide new capabilities to strengthen NATO’s deterrence and defence. Read more Defence investment update: record spending in Europe and Canada Defence investments ensure that Allies are able to meet their individual and collective obligations in accordance with Article 3 of the Washington Treaty.  The latest update shows that European Allies and Canada have significantly increased their core defence expenditure by nearly 20% in 2025 compared to 2024. In 2026, five Allies are already expected to meet the 3.5% guideline for core defence requirements and 17 Allies are predicted to meet the 1.5% guideline for defence- and security-related investments - well ahead of the 2035 deadline agreed on in The Hague. Read more NATO releases new strategy for industry cooperation On 8 July 2026, NATO released its new Strategy for Industry-NATO Cooperation (SYNC) after it was endorsed by Allied Heads of State and Government at the NATO Summit in Ankara. Read more NATO builds a more agile and resilient digital infrastructure At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum on 7 July 2026, the NATO Communications and Information Agency signed a contract with Accenture for the Protected Business Network (PBN), marking a key step in delivering NATO’s secure, cloud-enabled digital enterprise.  Read more NATO launches call to action to increase private investment in defence NATO Allies launched a new “Call to Action” to financial institutions at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on Tuesday (7 July 2026). The initiative aims to increase private capital investment in defence, security and resilience across the Alliance. Read more NATO Allies join forces to develop high-end space capabilities On Tuesday, NATO Allies opened a new chapter in Allied space operations with multinational initiatives and partnerships to develop new space-based capabilities. Read more NATO expands its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance fleet with the purchase of Triton aircraft On 7 July, Denmark, Finland, Germany and Norway announced the procurement of up to five Northrop Grumman’s MQ-4C Triton high-end, high-altitude and long-endurance uncrewed aircraft to enhance NATO’s owned Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Force. Read more NATO’s new Airborne Warning and Control System is announced During the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on 7 July 2026, 11 Allies announced the joint procurement of Saab GlobalEye aircraft as NATO’s new Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS).  The decision marks a significant step in modernising NATO’s airborne surveillance and early warning capabilities by replacing part of the Alliance’s aging Boeing E-3 fleet. Read more NATO launches new initiatives to accelerate defence industrial cooperation NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on 7 July 2026 launched two major new initiatives at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara to strengthen and accelerate transatlantic defence industrial cooperation, namely the NATO Front Door for Industry and the NATO Engine. Read more NATO Allies launch new project on critical raw materials for defence NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced on 7 July 2026 the launch of a new multinational High Visibility Project on defence critical raw materials. Read more NATO Allies invest 40 billion dollars in counter-drone capabilities and drone training On 7 July 2026 at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum, NATO Allies  announced that over 40 billion dollars will be invested in counter-drone capabilities over the next five years. They also aim to train five times as many drone operators by the end of 2027. Read more Allies meet strike capability requirements with multinational initiatives On 7 July 2026, NATO Allies made progress on providing innovative and cost-effective solutions for munitions and deep strike systems, delivering them faster and at greater scale. Read more NATO Allies expand strategic airlift capacity On 7 July, NATO Allies took a major step  to increase NATO and national strategic airlift and tanker capabilities. Read more NATO Allies strengthen the transatlantic defence industrial base with new coproduction initiatives At the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on 7 July 2026, several NATO Allies formed new multinational procurement coalitions. They will jointly acquire critical capabilities, particularly in air defence and strike systems. These coalitions aim to aggregate demand, align procurement and accelerate the delivery of much-needed equipment for both Allied forces and Ukraine. Read more NATO Deputy Secretary General announces new initiatives in space, strike capabilities and air defence NATO Deputy Secretary General Radmila Shekerinska presented major new capability initiatives at the NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum in Ankara on 7 July 2026. The announcements covered space and surveillance, strike capabilities, and integrated air and missile defence. Read more NATO Allies united in supporting Ukraine Since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, NATO Allies have provided unprecedented levels of support to Ukraine. From weapons and air defence systems to training, medical assistance and long-term recovery projects, NATO’s support continues to evolve across a broad range of areas. Watch Video

NATO HQ, Blvd Leopold III 1110 Brussels, Belgium