Norway, a Nordic nation bordering Russia, has announced that it will significantly expand the size of its military over the next 10 years, in the biggest change in modern defense.
Norway’s government unveiled a major long-term defense renewal plan on Friday, saying it would push national spending to 3% of GDP by 2036, and the country is already on track to spend 2% of the NATO minimum this year. said. Year.
In terms of where the additional funding will go, from additional brigades and warships to anti-aircraft missiles and drones, the plan is clearly aimed at Ukraine, as the Scandinavian country prepares to deter its eastern neighbor Russia. Influenced by the lessons learned in
Prime Minister Jonas Gare Stoer reflected on plans to significantly increase defense spending, saying Norway “must have the ability to defend itself in the event of a crisis or war.” A stronger national defense will help deter those who seek to threaten our sovereignty. “We envision that we will have to deal with a more dangerous and unpredictable neighbor for many years to come,” he said, referring to Russia.
Warnemünde, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, February 28, 2020: The Norwegian frigate Otto Sverdrup is anchored in the port. It is one of two ships of the NATO Standing Naval Association “Standing NATO Maritime Group 1” (SNMG1) and is scheduled to visit Warnemunde until 3 March 2020. Photo: Bernd Wüstneck/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa (Photo Credit: Bernd Wüstneck/picture Alliance via Getty Images)
Norwegian national broadcaster NRK summarized The intent of this spending package is “More money. More money.” There will be more people. More combat power. More capacity. More of everything! ”.
Plans envisaged include a significant increase in the size of the force, expanding the currently small Norwegian Army from one brigade to three. This is a significant increase in capacity for a mostly wilderness state with a population of just 5.5 million people. It is also planned to replace the Norwegian Navy’s current inventory, with funding for five new frigates and a fifth submarine, both of which will replace older ships due for retirement and increase the size of the overall fleet. It will be expanded.
Clearly drawing inspiration from the Ukraine war, Norway chose not to buy additional jet fighters, which had been a mainstay of defense spending for small NATO nations for decades, but rather to spend money on air defense missiles and drone technology. chose to spend. In fact, the Norwegian Air Force base in the north of the country, which covers the Arctic Ocean close to Russia, was scheduled to be decommissioned but will be reopened as a major long-range drone operations center. There is also a rocket launch facility near the air force base.
In 2022, before Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Norway’s annual defense budget was 71 billion crowns ($6.6 billion). By increasing annual spending to 166 billion kronor ($15.5 billion) by 2036, the total new spending will be around 600 billion kronor ($56 billion). Overall, Norway’s spending will increase to 3% of GDP annually, making her one of the largest defense spenders in NATO proportionately, assuming all else is equal.
Getting ready: NATO’s Norway ramps up conscription to build up militaryhttps://t.co/MuDLIx3DJs
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) April 2, 2024
Some of the changes were announced earlier on Friday. Norway announced this week that it would reverse the closure of its northern air base and use it as a drone center, as well as significantly expand the size and scope of its recruitment of young men and women into its armed forces. In this regard, there is a trend across Europe to reevaluate conscription as a means of sustaining the military and creating trained soldiers who can remain with part-time volunteer “home guards” for long periods after discharge. riding on. From basic training to civilian life.
Denmark made a similar announcement in March, doubling the conscription period and saying the number of young people being drafted would increase each year. Like Norway, men and women in their late teens are conscripted into the military.
Other countries without conscription have also found that conscription has become part of the national debate for the first time in decades. Even in Britain, which abolished compulsory military service earlier than most of the last century, the possibility made headlines this week. However, depending on the attitude of young people in any European country, conscription is easier said than done, especially during wartime. Studies show that the majority of adults in Germany would flatly refuse military service even if their country was attacked, and in the case of Ukraine, large numbers of young people either fled or took bribes to avoid military service after the invasion. and left the country.
World War III Watch: Estonian Prime Minister asks Britain to reintroduce conscription https://t.co/w8eCrbcMAK
— Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) April 5, 2024
