Founded in the wake of World War II, military alliances are the foundation of international stability and security. They provide an effective means of collective defence, and help to counter threats that might otherwise destabilise the global system. In an era where the character of conflict is changing rapidly, NATO has made major investments to adapt its defence capabilities.
At the 2022 Madrid and 2023 Vilnius Summits, NATO Leaders agreed significant steps to strengthen the Alliance for a new era of collective defence. They established a series of regional defence plans to increase the Alliance’s capacity to reinforce Allies in the event of a threat, and to respond more swiftly to crises and threats emerging from all directions. They also established the NATO Industrial Capacity Expansion Pledge to bolster engagement with the defence industry, accelerate joint procurement and boost production capacity, particularly for critical capabilities such as air defence systems.
In order to maintain its decisive edge, the Alliance is increasing its efforts to invest in innovation and research & development. In doing so, NATO is focusing on a variety of areas of emerging technologies including artificial intelligence, autonomous weapons systems and biotech. NATO is also working with public and private partners to establish global principles for the responsible use of these technologies, and to ensure that the Alliance remains ahead of the curve in this fast-moving field.
In addition to investing in innovation and R&D, the Alliance is enabling economic growth in rural communities across the Upper Midwest. Through its mission to accelerate the commercialization of technology, the Alliance contributes to the vibrancy of the national technology base in markets such as energy, strategic natural resources and cybersecurity.
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