Europe takes on a bigger share of NATO defence spending and the US loses an E-3 to Iran

The annual report from NATO's secretary general is out and it shows some notable trends. More than a year of threats and berating from US President Donald Trump seems to have spurred European governments to take on a greater share of financial responsibility for collective defence. Figures for 2025 indicate Europe and Canada now account for 48% of NATO spending versus only 40% in 2024.Meanwhile in the Middle East, the US Air Force lost a Boeing E-3 Sentry airborne warning and control aircraft while on the ground in an Iranian long-range strike. The incident calls into question the ability of the USAF to execute its agile combat employment strategy for protecting aircraft on the ground.FlightGlobal's European defence editor joins Americas defence reporter Ryan Finnerty to discuss spending trends in Europe and the future of the crucial airborne early warning mission set.