Defence manufacturers representing NATO countries convened in Ankara on Tuesday at an industry forum running alongside the alliance's yearly summit, and a series of cooperation and procurement measures were disclosed during the event.
Below are the announcements made public at the forum:
- Saab - The Swedish defence manufacturer said NATO will open formal negotiations to acquire up to 10 GlobalEye airborne early warning and control aircraft. Saab CEO Micael Johansson told reporters the company might commence deliveries as early as 2030, and that the final unit price would be in the range of roughly $400 million to $450 million per aircraft.
- Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall - The two firms signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on production of ATACMS short-range ballistic missiles in Germany. The companies said this step would represent the first instance of manufacturing that missile type outside the United States.
- Northrop Grumman - NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte stated that allies plan to acquire up to five MQ-4C Triton high-altitude surveillance drones from Northrop Grumman. Rutte said Norway, Finland, Germany and Denmark have signed a letter of intent for the purchases.
- Airbus - According to Rutte, NATO will establish a strategic airlift fleet composed of A400M transport aircraft and will also increase its existing A330 MRTT tanker and transport fleet by one aircraft.
- Isar Aerospace - The German launch company entered into a contract with Canada’s Maritime Launch Services to obtain access to launch infrastructure and services at Spaceport Nova Scotia, with the aim of improving its readiness for orbital launches, NATO said in a statement.
The announcements span a range of capabilities from airborne early warning and strategic airlift to missile production, high-altitude unmanned surveillance and space launch access. Several of the declarations describe steps that initiate formal processes - such as negotiations, memoranda of understanding or letters of intent - rather than completed, binding procurement contracts.
Contextual notes from announcements
Saab provided a timeline and an approximate unit price for the GlobalEye platform. The Lockheed Martin-Rheinmetall agreement was characterised as an MoU focused on producing ATACMS missiles in Germany for the first time outside the United States. NATO’s secretary general identified a planned purchase of up to five Triton drones, backed by letters of intent from four allied nations. Airbus-related activity was described as the launch of a dedicated strategic airlift capability and a modest expansion of the A330 MRTT fleet. NATO’s statement also described the Isar Aerospace contract as securing access and services at a Canadian spaceport to advance orbital launch readiness.