NATO has made another major financial announcement in the field of defense: more than £37 billion for a new missile project that, according to the alliance, will increase Europe’s defensive capabilities. But beyond the striking figure and the security rhetoric, the plan itself acknowledges a fundamental limitation: the system is not expected to be operational before the 2030s.
What the new project предусматриes
The project is called Deep Precision Strike and, according to the published information, will be funded by 12 countries over the next 10 years. It was presented at the NATO summit in Ankara.
According to British authorities, the new missile is intended to strike military targets with high precision at a distance of around 300 kilometers. In the version presented by London, there is also the potential for this range to be extended in the future to nearly 2,000 kilometers.
Big figure, delayed result
The announcement comes with a price tag of more than £37 billion, a considerable investment presented as a response to growing threats. However, according to the British side itself, the new system is not expected to enter service before the 2030s.
This means that, despite the urgent tone of the official communication, the project’s practical effect remains delayed. For now, it is a long-term development program rather than an immediate capability on the ground.
London’s political message and the warning over Russia
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer presented the initiative as a step that, according to him, will strengthen cooperation among European allies and make NATO more capable of confronting security challenges in the years ahead.
The British government also stressed that the threat from Russia remains high. According to the official British version, NATO aircraft have been scrambled more than 700 times to monitor Russian planes near the alliance’s airspace, while Russian military activity near British waters has increased by 30%.
British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper also said the new system will give the alliance the ability to strike strategic targets and logistical centers, increasing NATO’s deterrent capability.
Ukraine calls for speed, Kremlin downplays the effect
At the same time, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky called on allies to speed up the supply of air defense systems to Ukraine as Russian attacks continue.
For its part, the Kremlin signaled that it would closely follow the NATO summit. Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that, according to Moscow’s position, no new weapon would stop Russia from continuing military operations in Ukraine until it achieves its objectives, while adding that Moscow prefers a political and diplomatic solution to the conflict.
In essence, NATO’s announcement combines a very large investment with a distant implementation horizon. For the alliance, the message is one of deterrence; for critics, it remains to be seen how quickly and how realistically this sum will translate into concrete capabilities.
For now, what is known is that the project has entered a political and financial trajectory, while the real test will be its implementation in the years to come.