The F-35 Lightning II is a multinational stealth fighter that integrates advanced sensors and networking for air superiority and precision strike.
NATO leaders have gathered in Ankara with US President Donald Trump pressing allies to raise defence spending and the UK defending a contested Defence Investment Plan. Turkey is angling for jet engines and possible F‑35 readmission while Israel has warned against arming Ankara. The summit is testing transatlantic unity and Europe’s ability to fund its own security.
The Defence Investment Plan has been unveiled, allocating billions to naval upgrades at Clyde and Rosyth, nuclear deterrent readiness, and a radical drone transformation for the armed forces. The plan emphasizes British-anchored infrastructure and domestic shipbuilding in Scotland amid concerns over offshoring work.
The Pentagon has requested roughly $54 billion for a newly formed Defense Autonomous Warfare Group (DAWG) in its 2027 budget, a more than hundredfold increase from about $226 million this year. The money would buy and test autonomous and remotely operated systems, expand drone logistics and counter-drone defenses, and accelerate AI-enabled strike and support platforms.
Trade unions and Labour face a renewed clash with Reform UK as Farage invites unions to affiliate with his party. Unions warn against rolling back workers’ rights; polls show near parity between Labour and Reform among union members.
Turkish President Erdogan has urged the EU and NATO to integrate Turkey into Europe’s defence and security programs, citing Turkey’s role in European security. The push comes as the EU weighs the SAFE initiative and Greece signals possible veto ahead of a July NATO summit in Istanbul.
The New York Times, Bloomberg and the New York Post report on Dutch PM Mark Rutte briefing President Trump with charts titled “The Trump Trillion” and “The Trump 47 Effect,” highlighting increased NATO defense spending since 2017 and Trump’s Iran stance. Rutte’s attempt to align European allies with Trump’s Iran policy is met with resistance; Trump cites mixed European support and ongoing concerns.
The NATO alliance has seen European allies largely fill gaps after the United States signals reduced support. Leaders are meeting at a summit in Ankara to align forces and plan contingencies, with officials stressing resilience and continued allied commitments.
The UK has sanctioned Russian individuals and institutes over chemical weapon usage and a Russian Bear-F aircraft has been intercepted near HMS Prince of Wales in the Norwegian Sea amid NATO operations. The incident comes as Britain stresses safety and prods Russia over its conduct at sea and in airspace.
The NATO summit in Ankara is shaping up as a test for alliance unity as President Trump’s threats to curb U.S. involvement collide with Turkey’s bid to leverage its ties with Trump. Turkey’s foreign minister says the Erdogan-Trump rapport could ease tensions, while other members weigh new security arrangements amid funding and defence-spending debates.