NATO to share classified military information with defence industries to up production levels

NATO has begun sharing certain highly classified targets with the defense industry in a bid to stimulate increased production levels of weapons and equipment.

Secretary General Mark Rutte refers to the initative as being part of a strategy aimed at transitioning to a “wartime mindset”, Caliber.Az reports citing Western media outlets. 

According to the Bloomberg publication's sources, NATO is developing secure methods to share critical information with industry, urging companies to expand production capacity, particularly relevant given the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and NATO members’ efforts to rearm. 

The article believes this sense of urgency has been heightened by Donald Trump’s earlier threats to potentially halt military support for countries that fail to invest adequately in defense.

Simultaneously, NATO has begun sharing certain classified standards with the European Union to harmonize the armed forces of member states and enhance their operational compatibility. According to the article,these standards include details such as weapon calibers and common military terminology, which will help the EU standardize rules in both military and dual-use areas like radio frequencies.

As Bloomberg recalls, NATO has recently provided the EU with standards for unclassified materials, an act described as “unprecedented” trust by EU Defense Commissioner Andrius Kubilius. This initiative was spearheaded by Mark Rutte, who has focused on strengthening NATO-EU ties since assuming his role in October.

Under Rutte’s leadership, NATO is expected to present new capacity-building targets this summer at the annual NATO summit in The Hague. The article reports that these plans will require allies to increase defense spending, which currently stands at 2% of GDP. NATO’s evolving approach to collaboration with industry and the European Union demonstrates the alliance’s commitment to adapting to emerging challenges and threats in global security.

By Nazrin Sadigova