site.btaNATO Needs 400% Increase in Air Defence Capabilities, Secretary General Rutte Says

NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said the Alliance needs a 400% increase in air defence capabilities while speaking at the opening of an international arms forum in Brussels. He added that although allies are raising defence spending, security ultimately depends not on money but on military capabilities.

Rutte said much more needs to be done to expand production not only of ammunition but also of tanks, armoured vehicles, warships and aircraft, as well as capabilities for operations in cyberspace and space. According to him, Europe needs a stronger defence capacity, supported by the revival of military manufacturing.

Over time, NATO will be increasingly led by Europe, Rutte said. At the same time, he stressed that the United States’ presence in Europe, both conventional and nuclear, remains essential for security.

Rutte emphasized that Europe is still heavily dependent on the United States for certain military capabilities, particularly advanced technologies that are currently produced at scale mainly in the US.

He also announced that Europe’s first factory producing Patriot missile system missiles will open in September, while a new facility in the United States is expected to begin manufacturing weapons under European licence.