A study conducted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) revealed that in the event of a hypothetical U.S. withdrawal from Europe, NATO member countries on the continent would become vulnerable and face serious challenges. Replacing American military equipment and personnel could cost Europe around $1 trillion over the next 25 years.
This is reported by Finway
Specifically, the most significant expenses will be the procurement of 400 tactical fighter jets, 20 destroyers, and 24 long-range surface-to-air missiles. In the case of a large-scale military operation aimed at repelling a Russian attack, the costs to replace the American personnel, totaling 128,000 servicemen, could exceed $12 billion. However, even under the best circumstances, the European industry will not be able to quickly meet the growing demand.
The Growing Role of European Suppliers
However, Europe has already begun actively working to reduce its dependence on the U.S. From February 2022 to September 2024, 52% of the value of military equipment procurement was provided by European suppliers, compared to 34% from the U.S. Analysts believe that the trend of “buy European” is gaining popularity.
Comments from Leaders
The head of the EU Military Committee, Robert Brieger, who will soon leave his position, emphasized in his farewell speech the importance of Europe doing more to ensure its own defense.