April 12, 2023 | International, Other Defence
What’s in the defense wish lists? Unraveling FY24 unfunded priorities
Given the political drama stemming from the FY24 budget request, it is worth investigating what’s not in the president's submission.
January 31, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
Denmark ups defense budget
By: Aaron Mehta
WASHINGTON — In a move outside of its normal budgeting cycle directly aimed at the question of burden-sharing with allies, Denmark has agreed to increase its long-term defense spending.
A coalition of parties in the Danish parliament have agreed to tack on 1.5 billion kroner (U.S. $229.7 million) to the agreed-upon defense budget for 2023, which would put defense spending at 1.5 percent of gross domestic product for that year.
“It is on a good and well thought through basis that the parties to the defense agreement have now decided to further strengthen Danish defense, so that we will spend 1.5% of GDP in 2023,” Danish Defence Minister Claus Hjort Frederiksen said in a statement. “Danish status and reputation in NATO is of common concern and I would like to thank all parties for shouldering the responsibility.”
The amendment comes less than one year after a coalition of parties agreed to a five-year defense spending agreement that planned for a 20 percent growth in military spending, from $3.8 billion in 2018 to $4.6 billion in 2023. It also comes just months before elections are set for Denmark, essentially removing the question of increased defense spending from the campaign.
Just where that money will go is undecided at the moment. Denmark was already focused on standing up a light infantry battalion for national and international use; increasing anti-aircraft capabilities; buying the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter; and the creation of a special cyberwarfare unit. It is possible those capabilities could receive a funding boost.
One thing is clear: The move is directly the result of a desire to support NATO amid calls from the Trump administration over fairer burden-sharing.
In a statement, the political coalition notes “the Alliance has in the recent year taken important steps to further strengthen NATO's readiness and deterrence posture. The situation increases requirements to the Alliance and has reinforced the debate on fair burden sharing and Allies ability and will to defend themselves and each other. In light of this development Allies have taken new decisions to allocate additional resources to the armed forces towards 2024.”
In addition to the spending increase, Denmark is changing how it reports its spending to NATO in order to “make sure the Danish defence efforts are duly reflected in the reporting to NATO.” Those changes will up Denmark's reported NATO support to 3 billion kroner annually from 2023 onward.
Whether the increase will be enough to placate U.S. President Donald Trump remains to be seen. Trump has consistently called for European allies to spend more on defense, with a focus on hitting the target of spending 2 percent of GDP on defense, set at the 2014 Wales Summit.
https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2019/01/30/denmark-ups-defense-budget/
On the same subject
-
-
September 18, 2018 | International, Aerospace
Ignition et Airbus s’allient pour fournir les drones de la Défense belge
Par Benoit Gilson Ignition - la coentreprise entre Sonaca et Sabena Aerospace créée dans le sillage de Lockheed pour le marché de remplacement des F-16 belges – s'est alliée avec Airbus pour proposer le drone Heron TP allemand à la Défense belge. Une proposition qui concerne l'équipement immédiat en drones, mais aussi, à terme, une participation de la Belgique à son successeur, l'EuroDrone. Afin de remplacer ses vieux drones B-Hunter, la Défense belge a prévu l'acquisition pour 226 millions d'euros de deux systèmes de drones MALE (Moyenne Altitude Longue Endurance) composés chacun de deux drones. La Belgique prévoit également l'achat ultérieur (à l'horizon 2029-2030) de 4 drones supplémentaires dans le cadre d'un programme européens. Le SkyGuardian de General Atomics semblait favori pour la première phase mais Airbus entend bien y croire jusqu'au bout en proposant une solution européenne basée sur le Heron TP, un appareil israélien à l'origine qu'Airbus adapte et certifie pour le compte du ministère de la Défense allemand. L'appareil serait livrable en 2021, comme requis par la Défense belge, et est proposé avec plusieurs formules d'acquisitions possibles dans le cadre d'un accord d'Etat à Etat entre la Belgique et l'Allemagne. Une offre qui compte aussi désormais un volet belge puisqu'Airbus s'est allié à Ignition dans le cadre de la création en Belgique d'un centre de compétences et de vol pour les drones. Mais la proposition d'Airbus ne se limite pas au présent marché. Le géant européen propose qu'Airbus et Ignition travaillent à l'avenir ensemble pour favoriser le développement de nouvelles compétences en Belgique à travers de la participation au programme EuroDrones, lui-même une des pièces du programme Scaf (Système de Combat Aérien du Futur). Un programme Scaf qui est également un des enjeux du marché de remplacement des F-16 belges. Dans l'hypothèse où la Belgique achèterait un appareil européen – Rafale ou Eurofighter – elle pourrait obtenir son ticket d'entrée dans le programme Scaf. Une perspective s'éloignerait si la Belgique venait à choisir le F-35 de Lockheed. http://www.air-cosmos.com/ignition-et-airbus-s-allient-pour-fournir-les-drones-de-la-defense-belge-115037
-
May 26, 2022 | International, Aerospace
No title found
Engines can make or break a business aircraft, as Cessna and Dassault discovered a few years ago. The exhibition halls display a range of established, reliable types of turbofan, intermingled with newer types yet to prove themselves in the hard slog of daily use. There is always scope for innovation, hence the appearance of some promising electric powerplants. Whether their likes will dominate the EBACE booths in a decade’s time is a matter for a "happy hour" debate after the show closes.