U.S. Secretary of War Pete Hegseth welcomed German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius to the Pentagon as Washington and Berlin moved to strengthen defence cooperation, military production and NATO capabilities.
The two ministers met on Tuesday, September 15, for talks focused on NATO 3.0, increased European defence spending and closer cooperation between the American and German defence industries. Hegseth said the meeting represented another step toward expanding defence-industrial cooperation between the two countries.
Defence Industry Cooperation Takes Centre Stage
Hegseth highlighted Germany’s increased defence spending and its efforts to strengthen its military capabilities. He said Germany was moving closer to the 5% defence and security spending commitment agreed by NATO allies at the Hague Summit.
The broader NATO 3.0 approach promoted by Hegseth calls for European allies to assume greater responsibility for their conventional defence while increasing weapons production and military readiness.
US-Germany Sign Defence Cooperation Agreement
During the visit, Hegseth and Pistorius signed an agreement aimed at deepening cooperation between the two countries’ defence industries.
The arrangement is intended to expand opportunities for joint development, production and licensed manufacturing of weapons systems, while also strengthening maintenance and repair capabilities. The objective is to increase production capacity and help address shortages of weapons and ammunition across NATO.
Germany already participates in production of components for systems including the F-35 fighter jet and Patriot air-defence missiles, while further cooperation involving weapons such as Stinger and AMRAAM missiles has also been discussed.
Tomahawk Missiles and European Security
The meeting also comes as Germany moves forward with plans to acquire Tomahawk cruise missiles from the United States. Pistorius said further details surrounding the planned acquisition still need to be resolved, although the process is progressing.
The discussions come amid broader efforts by NATO members to strengthen military readiness and expand defence production as European governments reassess their security requirements.
A Renewed US-German Defence Partnership
Pistorius described the discussions as constructive, while both sides stressed the importance of a stronger transatlantic defence-industrial base.
The latest agreement reflects efforts by Washington and Berlin to increase cooperation in defence production while giving European allies a greater role in strengthening NATO’s military capabilities. ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
