NATO Allies Forge New Defence Partnerships at Industry Forum in Ankara

At the recent NATO forum in Ankara, key defence agreements were unveiled including Saab's GlobalEye aircraft for NATO, joint production of ATACMS missiles by Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall, and Northrop Grumman's surveillance drones. NATO also planned expansions with Airbus A400M and A330 MRTT aircraft fleets.

In Ankara, NATO member states' defence companies convened for a significant industry forum, coinciding with the alliance's annual summit.

Major deals surfaced during the gathering. Saab, a Swedish defence manufacturer, revealed plans for NATO’s potential acquisition of up to 10 GlobalEye airborne surveillance aircraft.

Additionally, Lockheed Martin and Rheinmetall agreed to collaborate on producing ATACMS missiles in Germany, marking the first time this manufacturing occurs outside the United States. Meanwhile, Northrop Grumman secured NATO's intention to purchase up to five Triton surveillance drones from member nations.