US Plans Major Cut to Air and Naval Support for NATO Europe
The United States is planning a sweeping reduction in the military assets it makes available for NATO operations in Europe, cutting fighter jet commitments by roughly one-third, eliminating aerial refueling tankers, and reallocating naval assets including an aircraft carrier and a missile-launching submarine, according to a New York Times report published June 12 citing senior European officials and a written document shared with allies.
The move represents the most significant scaling back of US conventional military commitments to Europe since the Cold War and comes amid growing transatlantic tensions under the Trump administration, which has long pressed European allies to shoulder more of the burden for their own defense.
What the Plan Entails
Under the proposed reductions, the US would decrease the number of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets allocated to NATO from approximately 150 to 100 — a one-third reduction, according to Politico EU, which first reported details of the plan in late May. Maritime surveillance aircraft would drop from 26 to 15, and all eight aerial refueling tanker jets previously available to Europe would be removed entirely.
One of two bomber task force groups previously assigned for European defense would be reassigned to another region, the US Navy will make fewer destroyers available to NATO, and Washington no longer intends to provide any submarines to the alliance. Europe would also be forced to provide its own reconnaissance drones, as the US plans to significantly scale back the provision of armed unmanned systems.
Defense News and Reuters confirmed the scope of the cuts, reporting that the US aims to provide only half the previous number of strategic bombers.
What is not changing, however, is US nuclear deterrence commitments, which remain intact. US space capabilities that assist with targeting would also still be available to the alliance.
A Shift Forged in Brussels
The plan was first briefed to NATO allies in late May when Pentagon adviser Alexander Velez-Green met with senior officials from member states in a closed-door session at NATO headquarters in Brussels. A written document detailing the cuts was shared with allies in early June, and the US is expected to provide further details at a NATO Force Generation conference in the coming weeks.
Allies met on June 2-3 to assess the gaps left by the US move, and the issue is expected to dominate the upcoming NATO summit in Turkey on July 7-8. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has described that gathering as “probably the most important meeting in NATO’s history.”
NATO’s Public Embrace
NATO officials have sought to frame the reductions in a positive light. Spokesperson Allison Hart told Al Jazeera that “this change strengthens NATO’s defence plans by reducing over-dependence on one ally and is a reflection of a broader shift happening within the alliance.”
“There has been an over-reliance on US forces and capabilities,” Hart said. “But as Europe and Canada are investing more in defence and developing more capabilities, the balance of responsibility can shift.”
US General Alexus G. Grynkewich, NATO’s Supreme Allied Commander, acknowledged the challenge but emphasized that the US remains committed to providing “limited but critical capabilities.” Speaking at the ILA Berlin Air Show on June 10, he said the alliance should focus on capabilities that can be acquired and fielded quickly, such as long-range fires and drones, to “mitigate the near-term risk should we find ourselves needing to deter and defend.”
Europe’s Capability Gap
The cuts expose significant gaps in European defense capabilities. European allies lack sufficient strategic bombers, submarines, and aerial refueling tankers to immediately replace withdrawn US assets — capabilities that typically take years to develop or procure.
Jennifer Kavanagh, director of military analysis at the Defense Priorities think tank, argued that Europe should not seek to replace US assets like-for-like. “The important thing with these US withdrawals is not that Europe matches what is lost but that Europe figures out what it really needs to defend itself and procure those capabilities,” she told Politico. “Across the board Europe can do this within five years.”
However, recent setbacks have complicated European efforts. Germany pulled out of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project with France and Spain on June 9, dealing a blow to European ambitions to develop indigenous fighter jet capabilities.
Geopolitical Context
The drawdown comes as the US pivots military resources toward the Indo-Pacific to counter China and toward the Middle East amid the ongoing US-Israeli war on Iran. According to AP News, NATO’s top military officer is now weighing alternative plans to defend Europe should it come under attack from Russia.
Despite the tensions, Grynkewich said intelligence suggests “Russia is not looking for a conflict with NATO,” though European intelligence services have warned that Moscow could be positioned to attack within three to five years if it prevails in Ukraine.
What to Watch For
The July 7-8 NATO summit in Turkey will be a critical test of alliance cohesion. European allies are expected to present their plans for filling the gaps left by the US drawdown, while the Trump administration will press for increased defense spending — reportedly demanding allies reach 3.5 percent of GDP.
The coming weeks will also reveal whether the reported numbers are final or subject to negotiation. What is clear is that the transatlantic security bargain, which has defined European defense for over seven decades, is undergoing its most profound transformation since the Cold War.