NATO to procure U.S. munitions for members

BRUSSELS, Dec. 18 (UPI) — NATO has signed an agreement with the United States to acquire precision-guided munitions for eight member countries.

The countries are Belgium, Czech Republic, Denmark, Greece, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal and Spain, NATO said.

Delivery of the initial NATO order of the air-to-ground munitions will take place between 2017 and 2019 and will include GBU 12 Paveway bombs and Paveway II bomb kits that convert freefall bombs into precision-guided weapons.

A subsequent order is expected to be placed with the U.S. Defense and Security Cooperation Agency next year by NATO’s Support and Procurement Agency under a framework accord intended as a cost-effective vehicle to meet members’ air-to-ground PGM requirements.

Poland’s PGM needs are expected to be included.