A Forecast International blog about the arms trade, geopolitics, defense and security, and military spending.
When Germans went to the polls on Sunday, February 23, three main issues appeared to be weighing on the public: high energy costs, a lagging economy, and immigration. Further on …
Will the German Election Herald a New Chapter for its Defense? Read More
Ireland’s Ministry of Defense announced a topline budget of €1.35 billion ($1.5 billion) for fiscal year 2025 on October 1. The FY25 allocation marks a €100 million ($111 million) rise …
Ireland Announces Record $1.5 Billion Defense Budget for 2025 Read More
Japan’s Ministry of Defense has submitted a budget request of ¥8.54 trillion ($59.76 billion) for fiscal year 2025 (FY25). The requested total marks a 7.5 percent increase over the current …
No Going Back: Japan Continues to Hike Defense Spending Read More
China will raise its defense budget topline by 7.2 percent for 2024 as per a government announcement on March 5 during the second annual session of the 14th National People’s …
China Set to Increase Military Budget by 7.2 Percent Read More
More than 12 years after disbanding its last two tank battalions and mothballing and selling off the entire Royal Netherlands Army fleet of upgraded Leopard 2A6 tanks, Dutch defense officials …
The Netherlands Hope of Resurrecting a Lost Defense Capability Faces Hurdles Read More
“War has returned to Europe. Germany and its allies once again confront a military threat. The international order is being attacked in Europe and around the world. We are experiencing …
Germany Faces Tall Task in Reversing Bundeswehr’s Decline Read More
The Swedish government has put forth a budget bill for fiscal year 2024 (FY24) that will drive defense spending up by 30 percent year-on-year and push the country towards the …
Eying NATO Membership, Swedish Government Proposes Defense Spending Hike Read More
As the United Kingdom confronts labor disputes, a struggling National Health Service, a possible recession, and post-Brexit depression, the nation’s formerly renowned military faces its own reckoning. While British munitions …
The British Military’s Winter of Discontent Read More
Confronted with a severe financial crisis, the government of Sri Lanka has announced plans to slash its armed forces over the course of the year in an effort to get …
Sri Lanka Announces Major Cut to Armed Forces Read More
As 2022 draws to a close, the European defense environment has shifted as dramatically as at any time since the end of the Cold War. Beginning with the launch of …
The European Defense Environment Year in Review, and a Peek Ahead Read More