‘The EU and its southern neighbourhood: the need for open minds, open ears, and open eyes’

NATO on Tuesday unveiled a series of multinational defense initiatives ranging from airborne surveillance and counter-drone capabilities to space, industrial production and critical raw materials, as the alliance opened its 2026 summit with a defense industry forum in the Turkish capital. Opening the NATO Defense Industry Forum, the first official event of the two-day summit in Ankara, Secretary General Mark Rutte highlighted what he described as a new wave of billion-dollar defense agreements between North American and European companies, saying the projects demonstrate allies working "hand in hand" to develop next-generation military capabilities. Under the forum's "Big Reveal," Rutte announced three major multinational projects aimed at strengthening NATO's airlift, intelligence and surveillance capabilities. The first initiative is a multinational modernization program centered on the Airbus A400M transport aircraft and the Airbus A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) fleet. "Several allies are officially announcing the forthcoming delivery of additional Airbus A330 MRTT aircraft," Rutte said, describing the project as a step toward strengthening NATO's strategic airlift and aerial refueling capabilities. He also announced a joint procurement project for MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft to enhance the alliance's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities. "These additional aircraft will provide persistent surveillance over large maritime areas," he said. Rutte's third announcement focused on replacing NATO's aging Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet. According to the alliance's chief, NATO will jointly procure up to 10 Swedish-made Saab GlobalEye surveillance aircraft to replace the alliance's aging US-built Boeing E-3A Sentry AWACS aircraft, in a move aimed at modernizing airborne surveillance and early warning capabilities. (click image to read more)