US tells Europe, Canada to boost NATO air and naval forces

* Move follows ​repeated Trump ⁠criticism of NATO allies

* Top commander cites 'unhealthy' NATO dependence on ​US forces

* NATO says switch to more European forces will not leave defence gaps

BRUSSELS, June 3 (Reuters) - The U.S. expects European NATO allies and Canada to swiftly increase the ​number ‌of manned and unmanned aircraft and ships they contribute to the alliance's defence plans as Washington steps back in these areas, a top U.S. general ⁠said on Wednesday. The statement by U.S. Air Force General Alexus Grynkewich, NATO's top ⁠commander and the head of U.S. forces in ​Europe, followed a decision by the Trump administration to shrink the pool of U.S. military capabilities available to NATO in a crisis.

U.S. President Donald Trump has repeatedly criticised NATO and told its European members they will have to take over primary responsibility for the conventional defence ​of the continent.

The U.S. ‌told allies last month of its decision to reduce its contribution to a framework known as the NATO Force Model, which includes a pool of forces that could be activated during a crisis. But it did not publicly disclose any details.

Grynkewich's statement, issued after a meeting of NATO military planners on Wednesday, was the first public indication of what areas the U.S. plans to cut ​first and where it expects allies to step in.

Manned and unmanned aircraft and naval vessels are two areas where Canada and European allies "can ‌step up now and in the near term - as the United States reduces forces 'sourced' to the NATO Force Model in Europe and refocuses them elsewhere," he said.

"There has been an unhealthy ‌co-dependence in the NATO Force Model on U.S. forces," Grynkewich said in his written statement. "President (Donald) Trump, (Defense) Secretary (Pete) Hegseth and others have been clear that this needs to change, and it will change. The potential reality of simultaneous conflict in multiple theaters demands it."

NATO DOES NOT EXPECT ​CHANGES TO LEAD TO DEFENCE GAPS

The NATO alliance is under unprecedented strain, with some European countries concerned that Washington may withdraw outright. A major adjustment to ‌the forces the U.S. would make available during wartime will only intensify those concerns.

A spokesperson for NATO's military headquarters, U.S. Army Colonel Martin O'Donnell, said the areas mentioned by Grynkewich were "where allies already have or soon will have sufficient capabilities, meaning no defence gaps are ⁠expected to emerge".

"Nations ⁠just need to assign the capabilities they have to NATO," he added.

O'Donnell declined to ‌elaborate on when Grynkewich expected allied nations, whose leaders will meet at a NATO summit in Ankara in July, to have replaced the U.S. capabilities.

The number of ​U.S. fighter jets available to ​NATO is set to fall by a third, and the U.S. will also make fewer ‌U.S. destroyers and no U.S. submarines available as part of the crisis pool, according to a report last week by German news outlet Spiegel.

Europe will also be forced to provide its own reconnaissance drones, while the U.S. plans to significantly scale back the provision of armed models, the report added. (Reporting by Sabine Siebold; editing by Bart Meijer and Paul Simao)