A senior NATO official revealed the scale of US air activity from European bases, hinting at deeper transatlantic operational integration and industry ties.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte noted in an interview with the Financial Times that U.S. Air Force aircraft conducted about five thousand combat sorties from European bases during the military operation against Iran, and this data proves that Europe remains an important military ally of the United States.
If you look at the bigger picture, you can see that European countries are keeping their promises. This is evidenced by the fact that four thousand, perhaps as many as five thousand American aircraft sorties in support of Operation “Epic Rage” were conducted from European air bases
– Financial Times
Europe as a Strategic Platform for U.S. Forces
According to him, the continent is once again a key platform for deploying American units, even as Washington remains frustrated by isolated incidents where European partners did not always adhere to bilateral agreements.
I’m not saying that these isolated cases that cause disappointment don’t exist, but overall the picture is very positive
– NATO chief
Also, Rutte noted that the European rearmament program is creating jobs for about 195,000 workers in the American defense industry thanks to large purchases that have already reached around $300 billion.
At the same time, he recalled that the U.S. Army commander of NATO’s land forces in Europe, Chris Donahue, stated the United States’ willingness to support its European allies in defending the Baltic states.
Thus, the conclusion is that the U.S.-Europe alliance continues to emphasize shared security goals: Washington views Europe as the main platform for deploying forces, and European countries make a meaningful contribution to collective defense.