SORC Defence
Alliance Profile

NATO

North Atlantic Treaty Organization · Est. 1949 · 32 Member Nations

The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is a 32-nation political and military alliance founded in 1949. NATO's collective defence framework, standardisation agreements (STANAGs), and the NATO Stock Number (NSN) codification system form the backbone of interoperable allied procurement. SORC operates within the NATO supply chain, sourcing NSN-coded parts and supporting allied nation procurement offices.

Alliance Key Metrics
32
Member Nations
As of 2024 (Sweden joined Mar 2024)
3.4M+
Active Personnel
Combined allied forces
~20,000
Combat Aircraft
Allied air forces combined
~800
Naval Vessels
Surface & submarine fleet
$1.34T
Combined Defence Spend
NATO allies FY 2024 (est.)
2%+
GDP Target
23 of 32 allies met in 2024

Sources: NATO 2024 Annual Report; IISS Military Balance 2024; SIPRI Military Expenditure Database 2024.

Selected Member Defence Expenditure (2024)
NationDefence Budget% of GDPActive Personnel
United States$916B3.38%1,328,000
United Kingdom$81.8B2.33%148,000
Germany$66.8B1.57%181,000
France$61.3B2.06%203,000
Poland$34.6B3.90%185,000
Italy$35.5B1.49%165,000
Canada$26.9B1.37%68,000
Netherlands$19.8B1.74%41,000
NATO Stock Number (NSN) Catalogue
~16 million
Total NSNs in catalogue
~6 million
Active NSNs (in supply)
~130,000
CAGE codes registered
32 member states
NATO codification nations
~€3.5B
Annual NSPA procurement value

The NATO Stock Number (NSN) is a 13-digit identifier assigned to every item of supply used by NATO forces. Structured as a 4-digit Federal Supply Class (FSC) followed by a 9-digit National Item Identification Number (NIIN), NSNs enable interoperable logistics across all 32 member nations. SORC specialises in sourcing NSN-coded parts for allied nation procurement offices.

Key Alliance Capabilities
NATO Response Force (NRF)
40,000-strong rapid reaction force; Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF) deployable within 5 days
AWACS Fleet
14 × E-3A Sentry aircraft operated by NATO Airborne Early Warning & Control Force (NAEW&CF) from Geilenkirchen
Ballistic Missile Defence
Aegis Ashore sites in Romania and Poland; SM-3 interceptors; integrated with US BMDS
NATO Support & Procurement Agency (NSPA)
Manages NATO Stock Numbers (NSN), common-funded procurement, and logistics for 32 allies
STANAG Standards
1,300+ Standardisation Agreements covering ammunition, equipment, procedures, and communications interoperability
Enhanced Forward Presence (eFP)
Multinational battlegroups in Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria
SORC Engagement

SORC operates within the NATO supply chain framework, sourcing NSN-coded parts for allied nation procurement offices, supporting NSPA-compliant procurement processes, and providing export licensing advisory for intra-alliance transfers subject to ITAR, EAR, and national export control regimes.

Browse NATO Parts Catalogue