The new world arms race just started

Asia, Europe, Africa, America. Everywhere defence expenditure rises up

by Emanuele Bonini 

World is playing a dangerous war game, making 2015 a year of global tension. New confrontations rose all across the globe, with China, Russia, Japan and Europe officially committed in boosting defence and security when in practice they are running an arms race, one of the most powerful since the end of the Cold War. The United States remain the first country in the world for defence expenditure (581 billion dollar spent only in 2014), but this year situation could mark a turning point in the world geopolitics since China announced its military budget will increase by 10.1% in 2015, narrowing the still-significant gap with the United States on defence spending. Nearly 144.2 billion dollar will be spent by Beijing only this year. Traditionally, the People's Liberation Army army has been focused on protecting its own borders, but Japan sees such a decision as a potential threat for the country. Thus the government approved the largest-ever national defence budget for the next fiscal year. For the year to March 2016, Tokyo will spend 41.97 billion dollar in order to strengthen surveillance of territorial waters in the face of a continuing spat with China. The Japanese ministry of defence is ready to buy 20 "P-1" (maritime patrol aircraft), 5 V-22 "Osprey" (crossover aircraft which have the maneuverability of helicopters and the range of aeroplanes) and 6 high-tech F-35A (stealth fighters). Again, the ministry wants a a fleet of "Global Hawk" drones over a five-year period. Furthermore Japan is planning to give the national army 30 units of amphibious vehicles and one E-2D airborne early-warning aircraft. Meanwhile India announced an increase in defence budget allocations of around 40 billion dollar.

In Asia Saudi Arabia increased its defence expenditure of 42% in one year, spending 9.8 billion dollars in 2015, according to a report from the research firm IHS. In this way the kingdom is now the world’s biggest importer of defence equipment. India, At the European borders Belarus announced a plan of military modernisation. No details have still been provided, but the main purpose is to selling obsolete weapons and equipment in order to experience a weapons upgrade. No a good new for Europe, already in trouble with the Ukrainian crisis. No good news are coming from the EU southern border: according to a new market research publication byReportstack, in Lybia the military expenditure, valued at 4.1 billion dollar in 2015, is expected to increase to 6.2 billion billion by 2020. The Defense Ministry is expected to procure transport aircraft, training and logistics support, transport helicopters, fighters and multi-role aircraft. Outside the EU, Norway is expected to register a defence expenditure growth of 4.8% between 2016 and 2020, while in the European Union the Netherlands boosted their defence budget to 8 billion Euro for the fiscal year 2015, up from 7.6 billion Euro in 2014. The Dutch government also committed to a 100 million annual Euro real terms increase in defence spending.

Despite the crisis Poland continues to invest in defence, earmarking 33.6 billion Euro on the upgrade over a decade, which includes a missile shield and anti-aircraft systems, armored personnel carriers and submarines as well as combat drones. Polish shopping list includes 70 multi-role and combat helicopters (for those a contract worth 2.5 billion Euro has been signed), an anti-missile system and cruise missiles for submarines and drones.

   In general terms the EU Member States are not increasing their expenditure for defence. Germany is expected to invert trend only in 2017,while despite its project for spending review Italy plans to maintain its order for 90 Lockheed Martin CorpF-35 fighter jets even if an overall growth for defence expenditure is not really foreseen. The president of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, recently called for a European army to be set up quickly in order to put pressure Russia under pressure, that is exactly what NATO is planning to do. Since the Alliance see «threats both from the East with the more aggressive actions of Russia in Ukraine but also from the South with violence and turmoil spreading to the Middle East and North Africa», it has been decided to adapt NATO to a new security environment. This means doubling the size of the NATO Response Force from 13,000 to 30,000 troops and setting up a new 5,000-strong quick reaction Spearhead Force. With some units «ready to move within as little as 48 hours», stressed NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg. That's where we are. Apparently not a friendly environment at all.