Military

UK Says NATO's European Allies to Spend $50B on 'Deep Precision Strike' Capabilities

Is the spending essential for defense and deterrence — or part of a myth to justify large spending on military contractors?

Published JUL 8

UK Says NATO's European Allies to Spend $50B on 'Deep Precision Strike' Capabilities

Story

Above: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of a NATO summit in Ankara, Turkey on July 8. Image credit: Dogukan Keskinkilic/Anadolu/Getty Images

The Facts

Around a dozen European members of NATO are set to commit to spending $50 billion on a "Deep Precision Strike" missile initiative over the next 10 years, the U.K. government said in a statement on Wednesday.
GOV.UK
Reuters
Coming as outgoing British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is set to convene the participating countries during the second day of a NATO summit in Turkey, the statement billed the investment as providing NATO with "the most advanced weapons" at their disposal.
GOV.UK
BBC News
It said they will be able to strike targets from "no less" than 186 miles (300 km) away, with some extending as far as 1,240 miles (2,000 km), pointing to Ukraine's strikes deep into Russia as a rationale for the need for such weapons.
GOV.UK
UK Defence Journal
"Ukraine’s Armed Forces have proved that the effective use of long-range systems can have game-changing impacts on the battlefield, giving the Armed Forces the ability to degrade enemy forces far behind the frontline," the statement read.
GOV.UK
It was also billed by Starmer as delivering "a stronger, more European NATO." According to reporting from the Wall Street Journal, Politico and statements from officials, a number of European NATO members have reached deals with U.S. arms companies that pave the way for their weapons to be produced in Europe.
GOV.UK
The Wall Street Journal
Politico
Theo Francken on X
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on X
One such deal is between Belgium, Canada, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway and Raytheon that would allow its AMRAAM air-to-air missiles to be produced within the nations. Another is between the U.S., Poland, Germany, the Netherlands, Sweden and Lockheed Martin, allowing the same for the latter's PAC-3 interceptor missiles.
The Wall Street Journal
Politico
Theo Francken on X
Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz on X
United24 Media

Sources Split

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The Spin

Pro-establishment narrative

This $50 billion investment will provide Europe's NATO allies with the most advanced weapons, boosting their defense and deterrence capabilities. Ukraine's attacks far behind Russia's frontline have proven the effectiveness of long-range weapons and their game-changing impacts on the battlefield, and why they are a necessary part of modern arsenals.

GOV.UK

Pro-Russia narrative

While Russia poses no threat to Europe, European leaders continue to propagate the myth that Russia is an impending threat in order to justify vast amounts of military spending. They do this to distract from the fact that these deals are being made despite the economic crisis in their countries.

TASS