A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
China has announced a defense budget for 2020 that will result in a year-on-year nominal increase of 6.6 percent, the lowest such figure since the first half of the 1990s. …
China’s Defense Budget Set to Grow at Slower Pace Read More
India intends to forgo a planned acquisition of 114 foreign-sourced combat aircraft in favor of more indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCAs). The move comes a little over two years …
India Plans to Scrap 114-Unit Fighter Order in Favor of More Tejas LCAs Read More
Barely two weeks after an announcement that government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) requests by the Philippines to Washington for potential buys of U.S.-sourced attack helicopters had been cleared by the …
Philippines Defense Secretary Says U.S. Attack Helicopter Offers Are Too Pricey Read More
The Hellenic Ministry of Defense plans to lease several Heron medium-altitude long-endurance (MALE) drones from Israel for use in maritime reconnaissance and surveillance missions. The lease of three Israel Aircraft …
Greece Leasing Heron MALE UAVs from Israel Read More
The Philippines is looking to procure American-produced attack helicopters through the U.S. government-to-government Foreign Military Sales (FMS) channel, and on April 30 the State Department sent official notice of clearance …
Philippines Cleared by U.S. Government for Attack Helicopter Buy Read More
Back on April 14, the International Monetary Fund announced the expected when it noted that the global economy is in a tailspin as entire economies are brought to a standstill …
For These Two Countries, the Strategic Calculus in the Indian Ocean Region Remains Unchanged Read More
Thailand becomes the latest defense spending domino to fall in Asia as governments look to shift funding priorities toward novel coronavirus (COVID-19) economic and civil relief packages. With Thailand’s economy …
Thailand Cuts Defense Budget, Suspends Military Acquisition Projects Read More
Germany’s Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer announced toPparliament on April 21 the decision to split the replacement program for the Panavia Tornado combat aircraft into two platforms. The long-rumored purchase plans …
German Defense Minister Makes Tornado Replacement Plans Official Read More
The Norwegian government has released its Long-Term Defense Plan, which proposes to steadily increase defense investment to reach the NATO minimum goal of 2 percent of GDP by 2028. The …
Norway Unveils Latest Long-Term Defense Plan Read More
As South Korea seeks to mitigate economic fallout and social disruption in the wake of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the government is looking for areas with which to shift …
South Korea Plans Defense Budget Reduction in Wake of COVID-19 Pandemic Read More