As a defence alliance, NATO safeguards the security of Allied countries against all threats, wherever they come from. It provides a credible mix of nuclear, conventional and missile defence capabilities as the backbone of its Article 5 commitment to defend one another. It also provides a robust force posture in the air, at sea and on land, enabling Allies to fulfill their collective defence commitment.
In the face of growing challenges, NATO is adapting. At the 2025 NATO Summit, Allies agreed on a new set of capability targets that outline the forces and capabilities the Alliance needs to fulfil its core mission. This includes a new NATO Defence Production Action Plan to bolster engagement with the defence industry, accelerate joint procurement and boost production capacity, as well as a new NATO Commercial Space Strategy and an Alliance Cyber Capability Development Programme.
Allies are also strengthening their readiness to respond to any threat by enhancing the Alliance’s crisis-management capacities. This includes expanding and intensifying NATO exercises, enhancing the Alliance’s intelligence capabilities, and stepping up its cyber defences. NATO’s defence capacity has also been enhanced by the deployment of four multinational battlegroups to NATO’s eastern flank, extending its tailored Forward Presence.
At the 2022 Madrid and 2023 Vilnius Summits, Allies renewed their commitment to investing at least 2% of GDP in defence. This reflects the Alliance’s enduring value of collective defence, ensuring that Allies have the necessary military capability to deter and defend against today’s and tomorrow’s threats.
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