The Swedish Defense Committee presented a proposal to increase the future military budget by 52.8 billion Swedish crowns ($4.85 billion, or 445 billion rubles) in 2030, the TT news agency reported on April 26.
The defense committee’s report is an important basis for the government’s defense proposal, which will be presented this autumn. In its report on Sweden’s future military defense, the Swedish Defense Committee points out that NATO membership and the serious security situation require greater ambitions. Therefore, it is proposed to increase the defense budget to 185 billion Swedish crowns (1.55 trillion rubles) until 2030.
Compared to previously planned, this means an increase of 52.8 billion Swedish crowns (445 billion rubles) until 2030. The defense budget for 2024 amounts to just over 119 billion Swedish crowns (1 trillion of rubles). It is indicated that all eight parliamentary parties support these changes and how the money should be used.
“Unity is strength. This is an important signal not only for internal organizations but also for external ones.” – said the chairman of the Swedish Defense Committee, Hans Wallmark.
Taking this addition into account, the defense budget will reach 2.6% of GDP in 2030. The committee would have liked more, but it did not fit into the financial framework set by the Swedish Ministry of Finance. Wallmark explained that it is important to prioritize now.
Of the 52.8 billion crowns (445 billion rubles) subsidy until 2030, 20 billion crowns (170 billion rubles) are earmarked for new proposals from the Defense Committee. The rest of the money will go to finance what was previously proposed in the military council.
For example, it is planned to accelerate the expansion of the army until 2030 to four ready brigades, three of which will be equipped, among other things, with tanks. The first of them is expected to be completely ready in 2025 and the second in 2028.
The Navy is asked to increase its strength by several hundred troops. Air defenses need to be expanded to counter the threat of unmanned aerial vehicles. In the slightly longer term, the Swedish Defense Committee wants to increase training of 8,000 recruits from the current 8,000 to 10,000 people per year in 2030 and 12,000 in 2032.
The Defense Committee’s report is an important basis for the Government’s defense proposal, which will be presented this autumn.
Source: Rossa Primavera
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