The defence industry briefing

The news and numbers you need to know about this month

spotlight

The US defence budget in key numbers

$686 billion

The proposed Department of Defense budget for FY 2019

$182 billion

The FY19 budget requested by the US Army. Increase on 2018: $13 billion.

$156.3 billion

The US Air Forces’ FY19 request - up by $9.8 billion from fiscal 2018.

$194.1 billion

Budget for FY19 requested by the US Navy, a 7% increase from FY18.

- $1 Million

The amount Trump cut from the expected funding for the US Foreign Military Financing programme. For FY19 a budget of $5.3 billion has been requested for foreign military financing. 

$6.5 billion

FY 2019 funding requested by the Pentagon to deter Russia through the European Deterrence Initiative. Up by $1.7 billion from 2018. 

$9.9 billion

Budget requested by the US Missile Defense Agency, with a major focus on the emerging threat from North Korea. Up $2 billion from 2018.

The wish list

Here are some of the most expensive equipment requests from the DoD's shopping list:

77 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters

Cost: $10.7 billion

5,113 Joint Light Tactical Vehicles

Cost: $2 billion

2 Virginia-class submarines

Cost: $7.4 billion

15 KC-46 tankers

Cost: $3 billion

M-1 Abrams tank modifications

Cost: $.7 billion

3 Arleigh Burke-class destroyers

Cost: $10.7 billion

24 F/A-18 jets

Cost: $2 billion

news in numbers

Facs and figures from the defence sector

$1 million

The cost of setting up a carrier strike group’s connected networks before a deployment, according to US Navy officials 

Around the world

News from militaries and defence departments around the globe 

Turkey stocks up for Syria conflict

Turkey is planning to acquire new armoured vehicles and utility helicopters to support its ongoing campaign in Syria, which procurement officials expect could last several months. Turkish forces invaded a Kurdish-held enclave in northwstern Syria in January, which the country claims poses a terrorist threat to neighbouring provinces.

Source: DefenseNews

France boosts defence budget

France announced it will increase its defence spending by 35% over six years. The budget for this year is  €34.2 billion; by 2025 it is expected to stand at €44 billion. The spending plan is built around greater investment in equipment and training to combat domestic and international threats from terrorism, while sustaining a powerful land, sea and air capability.

Source: Reuters

A400M could lose some features

Europe's A400M troop transporter may may not be delivered with all the previously promised military capabilities after buyers agreed to let Airbus negotiate an opt-out for features deemed too difficult to build. 

A document signed between Airbus and seven NATO nations allows the company to negotiate the removal of complex add-on features from the official specifications with individual buyers. 

Source: defense-aerospace.com

Australia invests in export ambitions

Australia is investing $3.1 billion in a bid to become one of the top 10 global defence equipment exporters. The government has created a loan scheme for manufacturers who are seeking finance to export military equipment but struggle to obtain finance from traditional lenders. Defence minister Christopher Pyne said Australia would target sales to the US, Canada, the UK and New Zealand.

Source: Reuters

news in numbers

Facs and figures from the defence sector

$1 million

The cost of setting up a carrier strike group’s connected networks before a deployment, according to US Navy officials 

2,000

The number of lightweight multi-role armoured vehicles to be built by Nexter and Texelis for the French armed forces by 2030

1.98

The percentage of GDP the UK spent on defence in 2017, narrowly missing the 2% NATO target, according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies

81 million

Fine paid by Airbus to end a German corruption inquiry into the 2003 sale of Eurofighter jets to Austria

$5 million

Reward offered by Argentina for information leading to the recovery of the missing submarine San Juan, which disappeared in the South Atlantic in November 2017

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