US Plans to Slash NATO Air and Naval Assets in Europe, Prompting Alarm

The United States has informed its NATO allies that it intends to make deep cuts to the combat aircraft, warships and surveillance assets it currently provides for the alliance’s operations in Europe. According to a written communication sent in early June and first disclosed by American media, the Pentagon plans to reduce the number of F-16 and F-15E fighter jets stationed on the continent from roughly 150 to 100, cut maritime reconnaissance aircraft from 26 to 15, and withdraw all eight aerial refuelling tankers. A missile-armed submarine, an aircraft carrier, several surface warships and one of the two bomber groups previously assigned to European defence are to be redeployed elsewhere. The reductions, which the Pentagon has declined to comment on in detail, would significantly curtail NATO’s ability to mount long-range strikes and conduct wide-area surveillance.

Viewed from Washington, the move accelerates President Donald Trump’s long-signalled determination to force European allies to shoulder a far greater share of their own defence burden. Trump has repeatedly described the alliance as a “paper tiger” and its members as “cowards” for refusing to join the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran. The cuts come amid extraordinary tension over that conflict: an internal Pentagon email, reported by Reuters, even floated the option of suspending Spain from NATO over its stance on the war. Yet some defence analysts note that a gradual US reorientation away from Europe is neither new nor unexpected; what is striking is the scale and the abruptness of the proposed drawdown.

In European capitals, the reaction has been one of alarm. A senior researcher at the Swedish Defence University described the plan as “a death blow to Europe” if carried out. For eight decades, the continent has relied on American military power as the ultimate guarantor of its security. European NATO members have been increasing their own defence spending, but the sudden removal of critical enablers — particularly aerial tankers and maritime patrol aircraft — leaves capability gaps that cannot be filled overnight. Diplomats in Brussels and US military representatives in Europe now openly confirm the shift, acknowledging that the American contribution to the alliance’s force model will shrink, forcing Europeans either to replace the lost assets or accept a diminished collective defence.

The alliance is already working on compensatory measures, officials say, but the political and operational challenges are immense. A NATO summit is scheduled for July in Turkey, where Trump is expected to attend and press his demands. The gathering is likely to be dominated by the question of whether the alliance can adapt to a world in which the United States no longer serves as Europe’s ultimate strategic backstop. Analysts in London observe that while the US has been pivoting towards the Indo-Pacific for years, the speed of this European drawdown risks emboldening adversaries, particularly Russia, at a moment when the war in Ukraine remains unresolved. The coming months will test whether the transatlantic bond can be recalibrated — or whether it is unravelling faster than anyone anticipated.