NEW YORK, June 24. /TASS/. NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte has stated the need to increase military production and replenish ammunition stockpiles on both sides of the Atlantic.
"He [US President Donald Trump - TASS] has worked on the Defense Procurement Act to make it easier for companies to work together to produce more because we need to refill our stockpiles on both sides of the Atlantic," he said an interview with Fox News.
The American leader "is really encouraging" all NATO members to increase military spending and build up defense production, Rutte noted. "I understand that [on Wednesday] he will be sitting with big defense industrial companies in the United States," he added.
Bloomberg reported earlier that American Army Secretary Daniel Driscoll is demanding that the defense industry develop cheaper interceptor missiles for air defense systems within a year. Driscoll has stated that the conflicts in Ukraine and Iran have exposed the shortcomings of the current arms procurement system, which relies on expensive missiles, the agency said, adding that the new initiative also involves creating a network of around 25 countries to expand production and facilitate the integration of weapons with US forces.