US Urges NATO Allies To Boost Air And Naval Capabilities Amid Planned Force Reduction

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The United States has called on European members of North Atlantic Treaty Organization and Canada to increase their contributions to the alliance’s air and naval forces as Washington begins scaling back parts of its military commitments to NATO operations.

The appeal was made by General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO’s top military commander and head of US forces in Europe, who said allied nations must assume greater responsibility for defending the alliance.

According to Grynkewich, European allies and Canada should expand both crewed and uncrewed aircraft capabilities, as well as strengthen their naval presence, to offset planned reductions in US military assets assigned to NATO defence planning.

The development follows a broader shift in defence policy under the administration of Donald Trump, which has consistently argued that European countries should shoulder a larger share of the responsibility for the continent’s security.

As part of the changes, Washington is reducing some of its contributions to the NATO Force Model, the alliance’s framework for assigning military resources to collective defence operations.

Although US officials have not released full details of the drawdown, reports indicate that the reductions could affect key assets, including fighter jets, aerial refuelling aircraft, drones and naval vessels.

Grynkewich said the move reflects a broader effort by the United States to rebalance its military commitments around the world and prepare for the possibility of responding to multiple global crises simultaneously.

“There has been an unhealthy reliance on US forces within NATO planning,” he said, adding that the changes are intended to encourage allies to develop a more balanced and sustainable force structure.

Military officials say European allies and Canada are expected to move quickly to fill any capability gaps, particularly in areas involving surveillance, reconnaissance, air support and maritime operations.

A NATO spokesperson sought to reassure member states, arguing that the required capabilities already exist within Europe and Canada and can be integrated into alliance structures without creating significant operational weaknesses.

However, the planned reduction has generated concerns among some defence experts and former US officials, who fear that a smaller American military footprint could weaken NATO’s deterrence posture at a time of heightened tensions with Russia.

Analysts have also warned that cuts to US drone and fighter jet deployments could affect intelligence-gathering operations and reduce the alliance’s operational flexibility during potential crises.

With implementation expected to begin in the coming months, NATO members are likely to face increasing pressure to accelerate defence spending and strengthen their air and naval capabilities to compensate for the reduced US contribution.