나토 사령관, 미국의 공백은 대부분 채웠고, 일부 부족한 부분은 대체 방안을 검토중

[위종민]

나토 최고사령관인 알렉서스 그린케비치 미 공군 대장이, 미국이 나토에서 빼버린 전력 공백을 대부분 메웠고 일부 부족분야에 대해선 대체 방안을 검토중이라고 말했네요. 

미국은 5월에 계획을 통보한 이후 몇 주만에 전략폭격기를 2대에서 1대로 줄였고, 전투기 전력은 1/3을 줄여서 99대로, MQ-4/MQ-9은 절반이 줄엇 12대만 남았다고 하네요. KC-135/KC-46 공중급유기는 79대에서 63대로, 전략폭격기와 항모는 2대 / 2척에서 1대 / 1척으로 줄었습니다. 해상초계기도 26대에서 15대로, 구축함은 17척에서 9척으로 줄었고, 순항미사일 탑재 잠수함도 빼버렸다고 합니다. 

유럽 국가들, NATO 방위계획에서 미국이 줄인 전력 공백 대부분 메워… 최고사령관 밝혀

Sabine Siebold

2026년 7월 3일

2022년 2월 1일 에스토니아 아마리 군 비행장에서 미 공군 F-15 전투기가 모습을 드러내고 있다. (Ints Kalnins/Reuters)

유럽의 NATO 회원국들은 미국이 NATO 방위계획에서 감축한 전력 공백을 대부분 메웠으며, 남아 있는 일부 부족 분야에 대해서는 대체 방안을 검토하고 있다고 NATO 최고사령관이 3일 밝혔다.

이 사안에 대한 논평 요청에 대해 Reuters에 제공된 자료에서 NATO 최고사령관인 미 공군 대장 알렉서스 그린케비치는 다음과 같이 말했다.

"불과 몇 주 만에 유럽 동맹국들은 미국이 NATO 전력모델(NATO Force Model)에서 감축한 전력 공백을 대부분 메웠습니다."

"아직 동일한 능력으로 대체하지 못한 몇몇 분야에 대해서는 동일한 효과를 낼 수 있는 대체 능력을 검토하고 있습니다."

미국은 지난 5월 동맹국들에게 위기 상황에서 NATO에 제공하기로 약속한 군사 능력 규모를 축소하기로 결정했다고 통보했다. 이에 따라 7월 7~8일 앙카라에서 열리는 NATO 정상회의를 앞두고 긴급한 의문이 제기됐다.

그린케비치 장군에 따르면, 이러한 조치는 미국이 여러 전구에서 동시에 분쟁에 직면할 가능성에 대비하는 가운데 미국 전력에 대한 "건강하지 못한 공동 의존(unhealthy co-dependence)"을 점진적으로 해소하기 위한 것이다.

6월 중순 마르크 뤼터 NATO 사무총장은 다른 회원국들이 기여를 확대해 상당수 공백을 메우고 있다고 밝혔지만 구체적인 내용은 공개하지 않았다.

Reuters는 수요일 NATO 관계자를 인용해, NATO가 다음 주 앙카라 정상회의에서 유럽 회원국들이 미국이 남긴 방위계획상의 공백을 거의 모두 메웠다고 발표할 예정이라고 보도했다.

익명을 요구한 이 관계자에 따르면, NATO가 여전히 해결에 어려움을 겪고 있는 가장 큰 공백은 전략폭격기 분야다. 미국은 기존 2대 대신 1대만 제공하겠다고 밝힌 상태다.

전투기에서 드론까지 감축

미국은 감축 내용을 공개하지 않았지만, Reuters가 군 관계자로부터 입수한 자료에 따르면 감축 대상에는 공중급유기, 전투기, 무인기, 함정 등이 포함된다.

해당 자료에 따르면 NATO에 제공 가능한 미국의 F-15 및 F-15E 전투기는 3분의 1이 줄어 99대로 감소하며, MQ-4와 MQ-9 Reaper 무인기는 절반으로 줄어 12대가 된다.

KC-135와 KC-46 공중급유기는 기존 79대에서 63대로 감소하며, 전략폭격기와 항공모함도 각각 기존 2척(대) 대신 1척(대)만 배정된다.

해상초계기는 기존 26대에서 15대로 줄어들고, 구축함은 17척에서 9척으로 감소한다. 순항미사일을 탑재한 잠수함 역시 NATO 제공 전력 목록에서 제외된다.

현재 NATO 동맹은 전례 없는 압박을 받고 있으며, 일부 유럽 국가들은 도널드 트럼프 미국 대통령이 반복적으로 언급해온 미국의 NATO 탈퇴 위협이 실제로 실행될 가능성을 우려하고 있다.

Europeans to fill almost all gaps left by US in NATO defense plans, source says

Europeans to fill almost all gaps left by US in NATO defense plans, source says

Europeans to fill almost all gaps left by US in NATO defense plans, source says

By Sabine Siebold

 Friday, Jul 3, 2026

U.S. Air Force fighter F-15 is seen in the Amari military airfield, Estonia Feb. 1, 2022. (Ints Kalnins/Reuters)

European NATO allies have largely filled the gaps left by the United States in the alliance’s defense plans, NATO’s top commander said on Thursday, adding the bloc was looking at workarounds to address the remaining shortfalls in a few areas.

“In a matter of weeks, European allies have largely filled the gaps left by U.S. reductions to the NATO Force Model,” NATO’s top commander, U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, said in information provided to Reuters when asked for comment on the topic.

“And in those few areas where they haven’t, where they do not currently have a like capability to replace, we are looking at alternate capabilities with matching effect.”

The U.S. told its allies in May that it had decided to shrink the pool of military capabilities committed to the transatlantic alliance in a crisis, raising urgent questions as leaders prepare for a NATO summit in Ankara on July 7-8.

The move is meant to gradually end an “unhealthy co-dependence” on U.S. forces as Washington faces the potential of simultaneous conflicts in multiple theaters, according to Grynkewich.

In mid-June, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said other allies were increasing their contributions and would fill “a lot” of the gaps but did not give any details.

Citing a NATO source, Reuters reported on Wednesday that NATO would announce at next week’s Ankara summit that its European member have filled almost all the gaps left by the United States in the alliance’s defense plans.

The main gap NATO is still struggling to plug is in strategic bombers, where the U.S. has said it will make only one aircraft available instead of two, said the source, speaking on condition of anonymity.

CUTS FROM FIGHTER JETS TO DRONES

The U.S. did not publicly disclose details of its reductions, but they range from refueling aircraft to fighter jets, drones and ships, according to figures provided to Reuters by a military source.

The number of U.S. F-15 and F-15E fighter jets available to NATO will fall by a third to 99 and the number of MQ-4 and MQ-9 Reaper drones by half to 12, according to the source.

The number of KC-135 and KC-46 refueling aircraft falls to 63 from 79, while only one strategic bomber and aircraft carrier would be allocated, rather than two.

The number of maritime patrol aircraft goes down to 15 from 26, the number of destroyers falls to nine from 17, and the only submarine carrying cruise missiles is also cut from the commitments.

The NATO alliance is under unprecedented strain, with some European countries concerned that Washington may fulfill repeated threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to withdraw.

[김유철]

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줄어든 전력을 채웠다는 건 사실 말이 안되는 것 같고, 로테이션을 늘리는 등 서류상으로만 채운 게 아닐까 싶습니다. 당장 저 줄어든 전력이 작계에 반영되지도 못했을 시간 같은데 공백을 채웠다는 말을 할 수나 있을지도 모르겠어요.