Synopsis
Aircraft carriers from France, Italy and Spain are patrolling the Mediterranean Sea for Neptune Strike, an enhanced Vigilance Activity intended to help Allies integrate naval striking power and maintain a visible, ready presence in nearby seas.
Carrier Strike Groups from Spain and Italy, led by the ESPS Juan Carlos I and ITS Cavour, are operating in the central Mediterranean Sea, launching aircraft on simulated missions into Bulgaria, Poland and Romania. The French carrier Charles de Gaulle is participating from the southeastern Mediterranean. A key focus for ITS Cavour is integrating the fifth-generation F-35 Lightning II fighter with its AV-8B Harrier II jets. While the F-35 boasts stealth capabilities and advanced...
At the NATO Summit in The Hague, NATO leaders recognised that in order to deter any future military conflict, Allies will have to pledge to spending 5% of their GDP to defence (of which up to 1.5% may be spent on defence-related investments). This has created the conditions for Allies to channel robust funding into governmental contracts with the defence industry in order to meet the new Capability Targets that are assigned for each Ally to...
