So now the cat is out of the bag: on October 6, Defence Minister Klaudia Tanner announced a significant increase in the defense budget in the coming years. As part of the “Reconstruction Plan 2032”, an initial 16 billion euros are to flow into the army by 2027.
Over the past few months, the General Staff has carried out comprehensive assessments that form the basis of the “Armed Forces Development Plan 2032” that has now been presented. This ten-year plan serves to strengthen the armed forces in the core area of national military defense. It will create new capabilities in order to survive on the battlefield of the future.
The budget for this will increase from the current 2.7 billion euros in the current year to 5.25 billion euros by 2027, or 1.5 percent of gross domestic product. A National Defense Financing Act is also planned, which will secure the army’s financing for the next ten years. At the presentation of the figures, Defense Minister Klaudia Tanner saw the “decades-long dry spell at an end”. The Austrian Armed Forces can now make many investments, “but we will not buy anything that we do not absolutely need”, said the Minister. Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer spoke of a “particularly good morning for Austrian national defense”. He had been fighting for a higher defense budget for decades and this had now been achieved. Three major priorities were defined in the “development plan”: 1.) Improving the mobility of the forces
The focus is on the area of protected mobility, in particular the expansion of the protected vehicle fleet and urgently needed transport vehicles. Air transport capabilities are also to be expanded and improved and the helicopter fleet further modernized. Active airspace surveillance is also to be brought up to date and will continue to be ensured through the expansion and modernization of the fleets.
2) Increasing the protection and effectiveness of soldiers
All soldiers will be equipped with modern personal equipment, the necessary individual protection and means for night combat and communication so that they can carry out their missions with precision day and night. Investments are being made in the core area of national military defense, in protection against threats from the air and in advanced sensors for our reconnaissance forces. The mechanized force with main battle tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, armoured engineer vehicles and artillery will be modernized, ensuring armour protection, firepower and high mobility. 3) Self-sufficiency to strengthen defense readiness
Self-sufficient barracks with a high degree of protection, sufficient supplies and high-quality medical care form the basis for maintaining operational readiness. A high proportion of the energy for the infrastructure is self-generated. Combat in cyberspace and electronic warfare have become indispensable on the battlefield. Digital command and communication tools are a prerequisite for the effective deployment of the modern armed forces. This is why massive investments are also being made in these areas. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zEJO0l7tPQg
