Pogodbenice soglašajo, da se oborožen napad na eno ali več pogodbenic v Evropi ali Severni Ameriki šteje za napad na vse pogodbenice; in zaradi tega soglašajo, da bo v primeru takega oboroženega napada vsaka od njih ob uresničevanju pravice do individualne ali kolektivne samoobrambe, ki jo priznava 51. člen Ustanovne listine Združenih narodov, pomagala tako napadeni pogodbenici ali pogodbenicam s takojšnjim individualnim in z drugimi pogodbenicami dogovorjenim ukrepanjem, ki se ji zdi potrebno, vključno z uporabo oborožene sile, da se ponovno vzpostavi in ohranja varnost severnoatlantskega območja.
The Parties agree that an armed attack against one or more of them in Europe or North America shall be considered an attack against them all; and consequently they agree that, if such an armed attack occurs, each of them, in exercise of the right of individual or collective self-defense recognized by Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations, will assist the Party or Parties so attacked by taking forthwith, individually and in concert with the other Parties, such action as it deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area.