The NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) has received the first lot of Precision Guided Munitions (PGMs), acquired through a NATO project involving 11 allies and one NATO partner. The PGMs, produced in the U.S., will be delivered to their final recipients, Belgium and Denmark, in the coming weeks. The value of this initial acquisition — part of a NATO effort to increase joint investments in critical capabilities — is around $20m.

The delivery is part of a cooperation effort, launched in 2014 at the NATO Summit in Wales, which offers allies a framework to acquire air-to-ground PGMs in a cost-effective and flexible way. Working through this NATO initiative, rather than individually, allows allies to draw upon each other’s PGM stocks in case of need: during air operations or in a possible crisis. This will also help NATO and Allies to reduce dependence on the U.S. for air missions.

The initiative was launched following problems encountered during the Libya Operation, when some allies ran out of stockpiles of munitions and had difficulties using those of other air forces.  

The project is managed by the NSPA on behalf of the allies. So far, 11 NATO members have joined this effort: Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Spain, and the UK. NATO partner Finland is also a participant.

The second and third rounds of acquisition for PGMs are already underway, and NATO has started to build similar frameworks for the acquisition of land and maritime munitions.