The United States intends to scale back the number of aerial and naval assets it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, according to two senior European officials who conveyed the plan. The proposed reductions, if enacted, would constrain NATO's immediate capacity for long-range strikes and surveillance missions.
Under the proposed plan, the U.S. would reduce the combined fleet of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets allocated to European operations from roughly 150 to 100. Maritime reconnaissance aircraft would be cut from 26 to 15. All eight aerial refuelling tanker jets that had previously been made available to Europe would be withdrawn, removing a critical enabler for extended air operations.
In addition to aircraft changes, the plan calls for the redeployment of a missile-launching submarine and an aircraft carrier out of the European area, along with several warships and the scores of jets that typically join carrier missions. Officials also indicated that one of two bomber groups that had been assigned to Europe’s defence might be reallocated elsewhere.
These details were provided to reporters by two senior European officials. The account could not be immediately verified. NATO and the U.S. Department of Defense did not immediately respond to requests for comment. A U.S. regional command released a brief statement last week saying it would "rightsize" its contributions to the NATO Force Model, but offered no additional specifics.
Earlier reporting in May indicated the United States was planning to scale back the military capabilities it would make available to alliance partners during a major crisis. The current U.S. administration has repeatedly accused several European governments of underinvesting in their own militaries and relying heavily on U.S. protection, while urging both European and Asian allies to raise defence spending to 3.5% of gross domestic product.
Officials cited the operational shifts in broad terms and did not provide a timeline or implementation details. The lack of publicly available specifics leaves open questions about how rapid or extensive the changes would be and how NATO members might respond operationally or politically.
Context and implications
- The reductions cover fighter aircraft, maritime surveillance platforms, aerial refuelling tankers, and certain naval strike assets that support extended operations.
- Operational impacts would include diminished capacity for long-range strike planning and sustained surveillance without additional allied support.
- Officials have framed part of the issue around allied defence investment levels and the need to rebalance commitments.