NATO countries to produce US tanks, missiles, MANPADS in Europe — Rutte

ANKARA, July 7. /TASS/. NATO countries will produce US Abrams tanks, ATACMS missiles, Stinger man-portable air defense systems and other weapons complexes in Europe, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said at the Defense Industry Forum on the sidelines of the NATO summit.

Rutte welcomed the decision by major US defense companies to sign a new military-industrial initiative with leading European defense industry players. The initiative will allow NATO to produce key US weapons in Europe, including Abrams tanks, AMRAAM and ATACMS missiles, and Stinger systems, he said. The alliance will manufacture weapons on both sides of the Atlantic without excessive additional investment by creating a network of factories available to NATO's defense industry and innovation infrastructure.

Rutte stressed that NATO must replenish its arsenals, which have been depleted by arms supplies to Ukraine, and produce more weapons than the bloc's opponents.

The NATO chief said the military-industrial initiative would significantly increase the alliance's military capabilities. He did not specify the timeframe for implementing the plans.