How supplier scarcity standardizes NATO equipment

Some NATO standardization goals have been reached because procurement offers only two or three supplier choices. That produces common equipment through a restricted market. Diesel engines illustrate how visible variety can overstate the number of independent designs: an engine sold under one company's name can be a rebadged design from another. No underlying manufacturer is identified in this example. The logistical advantages of common equipment still need to be weighed against the loss of design and supplier choice.