Out of the Riga Summit, NATO heads of state have developed a laundry list of “initiatives to increase the capacity of [member] forces to address contemporary threats and challenges.” Included in the Riga Summit Declaration are commitments to increase the alliance’s strategic airlift capability, which they deemed “crucial” to rapid deployment and to address “identified persistent shortages.” They mentioned the recently concluded agreement to buy several C-17 airlifters. Other provisions include activating an Intelligence Fusion Center to improve intelligence sharing and signing the first major contract for a NATO Active Layered Theater Ballistic Missile Defense System.
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
