NATO reveals two defense industry initiatives at the Ankara Summit to speed up weapons production and deepen industry cooperation for NATO members and Ukraine.

NATO Front Door for Industry will start in a test phase and should be fully operational by 2027, acting as a single entry point for industry to access NATO programs and opportunities.

The two main initiatives are NATO Front Door for Industry, which consolidates access to procurement and innovation programs for defense companies, and NATO Engine, a framework to develop transatlantic manufacturing cooperation and scale production.

Secretary General Mark Rutte stresses that no one country can meet rising defense demand alone and calls for expanding large-scale weapons production, replenishing stockpiles, and accelerating innovation to stay ahead.

Core defense spending by European allies and Canada rose nearly 20% year over year, with total additional investments in 2025-2026 around $258 billion.

Rutte frames funding and production expansion as essential for maintaining defense capabilities amid ongoing conflicts, linking the initiatives to strategic competitiveness.

Broader industrial integration and joint ventures are seen as crucial for timely drone and defense capabilities, with multilateral efforts among Britain, the Netherlands, Finland, and Poland progressing ahead of the summit.

Rutte says the goal of these mechanisms is to rebuild arsenals, outrun rivals in production volumes, and strengthen defense supply chains while expanding Ukraine’s support within the collective defense framework.

European NATO allies and Canada have increased defense and security spending to about 4% of GDP, aiming for 5% over the next decade, signaling a shift in burden-sharing.

NATO Engine is designed to build a network of facilities and production sites to accelerate scalable production, helping promising companies ramp up output with lower initial investment.

NATO Engine also aims to boost transatlantic industrial cooperation and expand weapons production across Allied countries by creating a network of manufacturers and production facilities.