NATO leaders are set to unveil massive arms and defence deals worth tens of billions of dollars in Ankara on Tuesday in a bid to showcase their commitment regarding the boost in defence spending.
The announcements will take place just before Donald Trump arrives to meet with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and join other alliance leaders for the summit, which commences with a dinner on Tuesday evening.
Trump has long criticized the European allies for over-depending on the US to defend them through NATO. He also accused them of not spending enough on their own security and defence while urging them to boost spending 5 percent of GDP.
In the backdrop of the criticism, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte assured that Europeans would make a staggering increase in defence spending.
“We are now creating an alliance which is sustainable, where the U.S. knows it is a fair deal,” Rutte told reporters in Ankara.
‘Big arms and defence deal in making’
The many details of highly-anticipated deals are under wraps. According to Dutch Defence Minister Dilan Yesilgoz, Denmark is expected to announce deals worth more than €3 billion ($3.43 billion), including partnerships with Belgium on air defence and Britain on naval ships, as reported by Reuters.
On Tuesday, Denmark also announced that the country would purchase two P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft from Boeing.
According to the defence ministry, the purchase of maritime patrol aircraft will enhance the country’s sovereignty and capabilities to monitor in the region and Greenland, while helping Denmark to “meet NATO capability targets in anti-submarine warfare.”
US, Europe on joint missile production
According to sources privy to the matter and reported by Reuters, the United States are in talks with Germany and other European allies about building co-production of “Raytheon’s AIM-120 AMRAAM missiles and a maintenance facility for Lockheed’s PAC-3 Patriot missiles in Europe.
It is reported that the parties in agreement will sign a statement of intent at the NATO Industry Forum on the sidelines of the Ankara Summit.
If implemented, the deal will allow the US defence giants to boost domestic production.
NATO also plans to replace its ageing fleet of US-built AWACS surveillance aircraft with a Swedish alternative, Saab’s GlobalEye.
