TSAMTO, October 8. The Ministry of Finance of the Netherlands has presented the country's state budget for 2022, according to which 12.4 billion rubles have been allocated for defense. euro ($14.26 billion).
According to Jane's Defense Weekly, this represents a nominal increase of 6.56% and a real increase of 5.4% compared to last year's draft budget.
According to official forecasts, in 2023-2026, defense spending will consistently decrease, by an average of 1.4% per year in nominal terms and 2.6% in real terms. This means that the budget for 2026 will be 10% less in real "dollars" than in 2022.
This is largely due to a reduction in investment. Since 2021, Article 6 of the Investeringen krijgsmacht (Investments in the armed forces) of the defense budget has been replaced by a new article 13 of the Bijdrage aan Defensiematerieelbegrotingsfonds (contributions to the military equipment budget fund). It is expected that funding for this article will decrease from 4.95 billion. euro in 2022 f.g. up to 4.4 billion. euro in 2026 f.g. and 4.3 billion. euro in 2030 f.g.
Allocations for financing the Organization for the Purchase of Military Products of the Netherlands (DMO) remain stable at the level of 600 million euros.
According to the document of the Defense Fund, current projects include the purchase of a successor for the Valrus-class submarine worth more than 2.5 billion rubles. euro and the replacement of M-class frigates in the amount of about 1-2.5 billion. euro. Plans to replace the Rotterdam-class DCVS and the De Zeven Provincien-class frigates are still under preparation.
In the land weapons segment, projects for the acquisition of short- and medium-range air defense systems are under preparation or research, modernization programs in the middle of the life of the CV-9035NL BMP and the procurement of the Boxer BBM are continuing.
In the aviation segment, the modernization of Chinook heavy transport helicopters continues, additional F-35 lIghtning-2 fighters and MRTT tanker aircraft are being purchased. Research projects are underway to determine the possibility of block modernization of NH-90 helicopters.
In the "Defense Vision for 2035", published in October 2020, the Ministry of Defense of the Netherlands called for an increase in the defense budget to 2% of GDP by 2035. The review also noted that in 2019 investments under the article "capital expenditures" amounted to about 25% of the budget, arms purchases in 2021-2026 are estimated at a total of $ 31 billion, which exceeds 35% of the total defense budget.
