LIVE: Defense deals announced at NATO summit ahead of Trump's arrival

Good morning and welcome. Welcome to the NATO summit defense industry forum. This is really the platform bringing NATO and industry together. And above all, it's the opportunity to showcase the capabilities and innovation coming out of our industries across the alliance, across NATO. I'm proud to say that we have a lot to show today. One year ago in The Hague, allies committed to invest a lot more in defense, 5% of GDP by 2035. And we're already making remarkable progress. And they agreed to ramp up defense production and innovation. Defense production and innovation. And here we are now, one year later in Ankara, already delivering results. Throughout the day, allies and industry from both sides of the Atlantic will reveal new major projects and sign contracts worth billions, literally billions of dollars. These are billions that are invested in our security, boosting our economies, and supporting hundreds of thousands of new jobs. It's money well spent. Today, you will see and the world will see industries from North America and Europe working hand-in-hand, innovating together, and developing next-generation capabilities. These are capabilities that are really made in NATO. Not by one nation, but several working together in close cooperation. And that's how we make our alliance more powerful. It's how we defend our 1 billion people and every inch of our territory. Now and in the future. So, I would say, let's get started.

The first announcement this morning is about the platforms that deliver air-to-air refueling and rapidly move equipment across the alliance. It is about air power, which is essential to strengthen our deterrence and defense. Today, several allies are officially announcing the forthcoming delivery of the 10th Airbus 330 MRTT aircraft to the multinational multirole tanker transport fleet. This is bringing us one step closer to the full MRTT fleet of 12 aircraft. Allies are also launching a new multinational project focused on the Airbus A400M. This is world-class strategic airlift capability. The A330 MRTT and the A400M will provide the alliance with two highly capable multinational fleets. The first made-in-NATO announcement is an excellent example, I believe, of multinational cooperation in action. The Airbus platforms are built on strong European industrial leadership, close NATO-EU cooperation, and with contributions from US industry partners. They keep NATO's air power strong, credible, and ready for decades to come.

Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, or ISR in our jargon, is a vital capability for the alliance. It gives us the situational awareness we need to make the right decisions and stay ahead of threats. Today, allies are taking a concrete step to strengthen this capability. We are adding up to five Triton high altitude long endurance unmanned aircraft to our NATO's ISR force. These additional aircraft will provide persistent surveillance over large maritime areas day and night. They can fly for long periods at high altitude and cover large areas, including over open water, more efficiently than most other aircraft can. The Triton will help us detect threats early, protect our sea lines of communication, and support operations in demanding regions such as the high north. So, all in all, they are making NATO's ISR posture significantly stronger. Northrop Grumman is building the Triton aircraft and transatlantic industry is working on mission support, data systems, and infrastructure. It is genuinely made in NATO and creating jobs on both sides of the Atlantic. This is transatlantic cooperation in action.