US plans to slash bombers and warships available to Nato in a crisis, report claims

The United States plans to slash vital military contributions available to Europe in a crisis, including fighter jets, warships and strategic bombers, according to a report.

An envoy of US defence secretary Pete Hegseth briefed top officials at Nato headquarters late last week that Washington intends to cut its commitments to the so-called Nato Force Model, according to German outlet Der Spiegel.

The framework sets out how national forces are made available to the alliance, helping to ensure a rapid response in the event of a crisis or conflict.

US envoy Alexander Velez-Green reportedly said during the closed-door meeting that the commitment for US fighter jets would fall by a third, while the US Navy will make fewer destroyers available and no longer provide any submarines.

Under the changes, Europe would also have to provide its own reconnaissance drones, while the US plans to strip back its provision of armed models, the report said. Refuelling aircraft key to long-range operations were also said to be at risk.

European intelligence agencies have warned that Russia could launch a major attack within a matter of years. Nato chief Mark Rutte said in December that allies “must be prepared for the scale of war our grandparents or great-grandparents endured”.

Moscow has dismissed intelligence reports on its intentions as hysteria.

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Donald Trump has meanwhile threatened to leave the Nato alliance, while his administration has urged Europe to take more responsibility for its own affairs and threatened to withdraw troops from the continent.

In recent weeks, Trump has criticised allies over their perceived lack of support during the war in Iran, inflaming tensions mounting since his threats to take control of Greenland, a Danish overseas territory, earlier this year.

Three sources familiar with the latest directive had told Reuters that the Trump administration was planning to tell Nato allies last week it would shrink the pool of military capabilities available to the alliance during a crisis.

The US aims to provide only half the previous number of strategic bombers, the reports said.

Washington is expected to provide further details at a force generation conference in early June, the Spiegel report said.

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A spokesperson for Nato told Spiegel that there had been an “over-reliance” on the US in Nato force planning and that, with Europe and Canada investing more in defence, military responsibilities within the alliance could be reorganised.

Mark Rutte on Friday declined to give details about the reported plans to cut US military contributions.

He said the US contribution to Nato’s force model was being discussed, as the US “cannot be everywhere at the same time", but added he could not go into detail.

“Of course, this is highly classified because we don’t want to make anyone any wiser, but this is a process in place, this is nothing new,” Rutte told reporters after a meeting of ministers from Nato countries in Sweden.

“We know that the US has to think: if you have multiple threats, how can we make sure that all the capabilities and all the key enablers are everywhere where we need them.”

The Independent approached the Pentagon for comment.

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