INDUSTRY REPORT management of stockpiles of defence critical raw materials, including through recycling existing products.
This High Visibility Project will help facilitate access to a sufficient supply of defence-critical raw materials such as lithium, titanium and rare earth materials, which the Allied defence industry requires to deliver the capabilities needed to keep people safe. It will also help to make NATO less vulnerable to supply shocks and reduce reliance on external providers. The project supports the implementation of NATO’ s Defence Critical Supply Chain Security Roadmap, agreed by NATO Defence Ministers in June 2024.
The Multinational Multi-Role Tanker Transport Fleet( MMF) programme also reached a new milestone, with Denmark and Sweden joining this initiative. In addition, the NATO Support and Procurement Agency( NSPA) signed a contract with Airbus Defence and Space for the acquisition of two additional A330 Multi Role Tanker Transport( MRTT) aircraft, raising the current fleet to 12 aircraft. Launched in 2012, the MMF programme is an example of effective NATO-EU collaboration, supported initially by the Organisation for Joint Armament Cooperation( OCCAR) and currently managed by NSPA. The fleet provides participating nations with critical capabilities in air-to-air refuelling, strategic airlift and aeromedical evacuation.
Estonia, Finland, Italy, Latvia, the Netherlands and Sweden also broke new ground in supporting the further integration of new technologies in military operations, announcing the establishment of the first NATO Innovation Ranges. These are a key pillar of NATO’ s Rapid Adoption Action Plan, which Allied Leaders were expected to endorse at the NATO Summit, and which aims to expedite innovation adoption, leverage new technologies at speed to deliver on capability targets, and increase production capacity through the inclusion of non-traditional suppliers in the defence industrial base. These ranges will enable Allies and NATO to test, refine and validate new technological products in operationally realistic environments.
The NATO Support and Procurement Organisation( NSPO), NSPA’ s governing body, also signed a partnership agreement with Australia. The agreement will allow Australia’ s participation in the full range of NSPA activities and services, including, but not limited to, acquisition, logistics, operational and systems support and services. This is an important milestone in NATO’ s cooperation with partners around the globe.
At the signing ceremony, NATO Deputy Secretary General, Radmila Shekerinska, also praised the conclusion of several new framework contracts by the NATO Support and Procurement Agency( NSPA) since January 2025, worth 4.7 billion euros, for critical munitions sourced from across the Alliance.
To combat vulnerabilities, the defence market has also moved to strengthen its supply chains and diversify suppliers in recent years
Image: Image: BAE Systems.
Image: © SIAE 2025 Gilles ROLLE.
Rafale demonstrator in the foreground at the Paris Air Show 2025.
On 24 June 2025, Secretary General Mark Rutte called on NATO Allies, partners and industry to“ unite, innovate and deliver” to ensure the Alliance is able to“ win this new war of production”. He emphasised the significant steps that the Alliance is taking to strengthen its defence industrial capacity, increase cooperation, enhance innovation and expand hundreds of new and existing production lines.“ There’ s no defence without a strong defence industry, and there’ s no European security without a strong transatlantic bond,” Mr Rutte said.
Urging Allies and industry to do more, better and together, the Secretary General highlighted the clear demand signal that NATO is sending to the defence industry, through the massive uplift Allies have agreed in capability targets. Joined onstage by the President of the European Commission, Ursula Von der Leyen, Mr Rutte welcomed the European Union’ s Readiness 2030 plan that promises to unleash up to 800 billion euros for defence and encouraged the removal of barriers to transatlantic defence cooperation.
President Zelenskyy of Ukraine also made a speech at the event urging further security assistance and increased defence industrial cooperation between NATO Allies and Ukraine.“ Mr Zelenskyy highlighted Ukraine’ s growing defence industry and its world-leading drone production, in particular, as an attractive basis for further collaboration,” commented NATO.
The NATO Summit Defence Industry Forum brought together defence ministers, industry leaders and experts from across the Alliance and beyond to identify practical solutions to strengthen transatlantic defence industrial cooperation, boost production capacity, support innovation and harness the potential of the commercial space sector.
On 24 June 2025, NATO released public versions of key documents. The Updated Defence Production Action Plan responds to the need for Allies to produce more and faster, in a rapidly evolving security environment. The plan aims to improve Allies’ ability“ to aggregate demand, deliver cutting edge capabilities and accelerate the growth of defence industrial capacity and production, including by providing longterm orders and clear demand signals to industry.”
Developed in consultation with industry, NATO’ s first Commercial Space Strategy will allow the Alliance to integrate commercial solutions more flexibly and at pace, and ensure continuous access during peacetime, crisis and conflict. The strategy aims to create more business opportunities and cut red tape in NATO’ s procurement processes, simplifying how space companies engage with the Alliance, helping to increase commercial diversity and strengthening partnerships across the Alliance.
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