NATO is planning to share part of its classified information with the defense industry to determine which weapons and equipment member countries should produce.
This was reported by writes Bloomberg, citing sources.
According to the agency's informants, the Alliance is developing a method for securely transmitting aggregated data to encourage companies to ramp up production capacities.
For this step, NATO countries need to reach a consensus, and one source indicated that decisions could be made in the coming months.
It is also reported that NATO has begun sharing some classified standards with the European Union. Due to the sensitive nature of the information, data will be revealed gradually as it is processed and updated.
NATO military standards aim to align the actions of the armed forces of member countries and ensure their interoperability. They may pertain to unified weapon calibers or common military terminology, as mentioned in the material.
This information could assist the EU in harmonizing standards in both military and dual-use technologies, such as radio frequencies.
A NATO representative noted that the Alliance has already started exchanging its standards, particularly with the EU, as part of new defense plans. The official added that NATO is also collaborating more actively with the defense industry.
Bloomberg reports that NATO recently shared standards for non-classified materials with the EU. European Commissioner for Defense Andrius Kubilius described this decision as an "unprecedented" act of trust.
According to agency sources, this initiative was launched by NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte. The former Prime Minister of the Netherlands has focused on strengthening ties between NATO and the EU since taking office in October.
Moreover, Rutte has urged the European defense industry to increase arms production volumes.
Background. Earlier, Mind reported that U.S. President Donald Trump expressed understanding of Russia's feelings regarding NATO's expansion and the potential accession of Ukraine to the alliance, and also stated that he hopes to meet with Putin and achieve a ceasefire within six months.