Europeans $100 billion short of NATO spending pledge, says study
Europe would need to boost defence spending by more than $100 billion to hit the NATO spending pledge that has stirred much anger by US President Donald Trump, a study showed on 15 February 2019.
The failure of many European allies to get even close to the NATO target of spending 2% of their national output on defence by 2024 has infuriated Trump, who accuses them of freeloading. Figures from the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) showed that NATO's 27 European countries fell short of the 2% target by $102 billion in 2018.
The IISS's annual Military Balance report said European NATO members would ‘collectively have had to increase their spending by 38%’ to hit the 2% target in 2018.
Trump's anger over spending has fuelled concern about his commitment to the transatlantic alliance, culminating in an explosive summit last year where he launched a blistering public attack on Berlin in a televised meeting with Chancellor Angela Merkel.
US military spending dwarfs that of the rest of the alliance - in 2018 Washington spent nearly $650 billion on defence, compared with around $250 billion for all the European NATO members combined, according to the IISS report.
NATO expects seven European countries to meet the 2% target when final figures for 2018 are calculated - up from just three a year earlier. But while Germany is making efforts to boost military spending, the sheer size of its economy means it is hard to quickly increase the percentage relative to its hefty gross domestic product (GDP).
To hit the 2% target, analysts say Berlin would need to vastly raise its defence expenditure between 2017 and 2024 - a problematic undertaking in any country, let alone one with Germany's post-war history of unease about military strength.
The increase in US spending alone from 2017 to 2018 - around $45 billion - almost equalled the entire German defence budget, the report noted.
More from Defence Notes
-
UK releases security strategy and plans for future defence spending boost
The UK’s National Security Strategy brings together the recently released Strategic Defence Review (SDR), Strategic Security Review, AUKUS Review and Industrial and Trade Strategies. At the same time, the UK made a commitment to reach defence spending of 5% of GDP by 2035 and Germany committed to 3.5% by 2029.
-
Pentagon’s FY26 defence budget proposal is $130 billion more than US Congress plans to provide
The House Committee on Appropriations approved a FY2026 bill reducing investments in main defence programmes.
-
What role could holographic and 3D capabilities play in the warfare of tomorrow
Holographic and 3D technologies have been lauded by some for their ability to provide technical and operational advantages for military training and planning. But is the hype truly justified?
-
Unfolding the Golden Dome for America: Seven things you should know about the programme
Shephard talked to multiple experts about the most pressing concerns and considerations regarding the air defence system advocated by President Trump.
-
Industry welcomes UK Strategic Defence Review, but pressure remains on future defence investment plans
While industry reception to the SDR has been positive, questions still remain from analyst and trade associations about what this could mean for future investment and the future UK Defence Industrial Strategy.