The US plans to sharply reduce military assets assigned to NATO operations in Europe, including cutting about one-third of its fighter jets, The New York Times (NYT) reported. The proposed reductions would reportedly lower the number of US F-16 and F-15E fighter jets available for NATO’s European defense from around 150 to 100. The plan also includes cutting maritime reconnaissance aircraft from 26 to 15 and removing all eight aerial refueling tankers currently assigned to the mission.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. The NYT also reported that Washington intends to redeploy a missile-launching submarine, an aircraft carrier, several warships and fighter jets connected to the carrier’s operations. One of two bomber groups previously dedicated to Europe’s defense may also be reassigned. The move would mark a major shift in NATO’s military balance, increasing pressure on European allies and Canada to replace US capabilities in areas such as air defense, long-range strike, refueling, surveillance and maritime operations. NATO spokesperson Allison Hart said the alliance has long relied heavily on US contributions and described the shift as part of a broader effort to rebalance responsibilities as European and Canadian allies increase defense spending and capabilities. The planned drawdown comes as NATO members are already under pressure to meet new spending commitments. At the 2025 Hague summit, allies pledged to invest five percent of GDP annually in core defense and security-related spending by 2035, including at least 3.5 percent for core military requirements.