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The defense industry was at the center of the NATO Summit in Ankara, where the Alliance presented a new investment package aimed at strengthening military capabilities in the face of new security challenges.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that the Alliance will invest around $40 billion over the next five years in the "Drone Edge" program, which aims to develop and integrate advanced technologies for drone warfare.
"We must ensure that we convert our economic power into military capabilities, by investing in defense plans, drones, missiles and interceptor systems," declared Mark Rutte, emphasizing that the objective is to build new defense capabilities produced within the Alliance, under the "Made in NATO" concept.
According to Rutte, the objective is not only to purchase unmanned aerial vehicles, but also to build an integrated system that includes sensors, reconnaissance systems, electronic warfare, interceptors and capabilities for neutralizing drones.
At the same time, NATO member countries have committed to fivefold the number of trained drone operators by the end of 2027, reflecting the importance that these systems have taken on in conflicts in recent years, particularly in the war in Ukraine.
Another important decision announced at the summit was the launch of the process to replace the fleet of E-3A AWACS radar aircraft, which have been in service with the Alliance for about five decades.
NATO plans to purchase up to 10 Saab GlobalEye aircraft, which will provide advanced capabilities for air, land and maritime surveillance. According to publicly available information, the first deliveries of these aircraft are expected to begin within 2030.
Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson called the deal a significant success for his country's defense industry, describing it as "a fantastic day for NATO, for Saab and for Sweden."
In addition to these investments, Rutte also presented a number of other multilateral initiatives, including the purchase of five MQ-4C Triton strategic drones from four allied countries, the expansion of strategic transport and aerial refueling capacities in cooperation with Airbus, as well as other industrial projects between European and North American companies.
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