Key facts
- NATO leaders announced over $50 billion in defense procurement and industrial agreements at a summit in Ankara.
- President Donald Trump attended the summit, praising Turkish President Erdogan and discussing potential F-35 jet sales.
- Trump promised to lift U.S. sanctions on Turkey related to its S-400 missile system purchase.
- Saab, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, and Airbus announced various defense equipment deals.
- Anti-NATO protests occurred in Turkey, with detentions of activists and delegates.
Defence companies from NATO member states gathered in Ankara for an industry forum alongside the alliance's annual summit, where officials announced over $50 billion in defence procurement and industrial agreements. The deals come as European allies face continued pressure from U.S. President Donald Trump to increase their defence spending.
Among the announcements, Swedish firm Saab stated NATO will begin formal negotiations for up to 10 GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft, with deliveries potentially starting in 2030. Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall signed a memorandum of understanding to jointly produce ATACMS missiles in Germany, marking the first manufacture of the missile outside the United States. The U.S. will also establish a maintenance facility in Europe for Lockheed Martin's PAC-3 air defence missile. The UK announced it would spend $254 million on Lockheed Martin's Precision Strike Missiles, with first deliveries expected in 2027.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte announced that allies will purchase up to five Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton high-altitude surveillance drones, with Norway, Finland, Germany, and Denmark signing a letter of intent. Rutte also stated NATO will launch a strategic airlift fleet of Airbus A400M transport planes and expand its A330 MRTT tanker fleet. German rocket maker Isar Aerospace contracted with Canada's Maritime Launch Services for a launch pad, while IT consulting firm Accenture and Italian defence company Leonardo secured a seven-year contract for a secure NATO communications network. Germany also agreed with the U.S. to acquire Raytheon-made Tomahawk cruise missiles.
These defence deals occurred concurrently with President Donald Trump's visit to Turkey for the NATO summit. Trump met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, praising him and indicating a willingness to sell F-35 fighter jets to Turkey, a move previously blocked by U.S. sanctions. Trump also promised to lift sanctions imposed on Turkey for its 2019 purchase of Russian S-400 defense systems. The summit was also marked by anti-NATO protests in Turkey, fueled by the Gaza conflict and concerns over arms company profits, leading to detentions of activists and delegates.