Meanwhile, Finland, Sweden and Norway are making massive investments in modern equipment. New submarines, frigates, corvettes and patrol boats for their navies, F-35A and Gripen E/F for their air forces, new Howitzers, AFVs, long range fires, air and missile defense systems, etc. Just yesterday, Norway announced that it will essentially double its defense spending and add 2 brigades to its army.
“Meanwhile, Finland, Sweden and Norway are making massive investments in modern equipment.”
Poland too, as we have discussed previously. Germany has continued ramping up. Even France seems to be waking from its slumber.
Putin continues stimulate increases in Western Defense spending, that continue to accumulate longer term effects on the balance of power.
Russia might be getting more punched out this year, as their storage yards and coffers hit new lows. They are running huge deficits in their Conventional Military forces, due to their profligate attrition rates. Those deficits can’t go on forever, and a massive wave of Ukrainian drones has been funded for this year, which is likely to inflict new rates of attrition.