Global Scans · Military · Weekly Summary

• [New] If infrastructure military readiness expenditures are included, total war-related spending will reach 5% of GDP, €215 billion annually. World Socialist Web Site
• [New] The 2025 defence budget totals €86.5 billion - more than at any time since the end of the Second World War - and is set to rise to €150 billion by 2029, roughly 3.5% of GDP. World Socialist Web Site
• [New] Commitments made at the June NATO summit to reach a defence spending target of 3.5% of GDP by 2035 will require at least an additional €288 billion annually. World Socialist Web Site
• [New] The European Council underlines the importance of innovative technologies and disruptive solutions and calls on the Commission to present a roadmap for defence industry transformation. Consilium
• [New] Defence tech startups like Anduril, Palantir, Scout AI, and Orbital Operations reshape military procurement as the Fifth Defence Revolution converges AI with mass manufacturing for space-centric multi-domain warfare, while Europe's Space Shield aims for full operational capability by 2026. Sirotin Intelligence
• [New] Germany commits €35 billion through 2030 to counter Russian inspector satellites shadowing Bundeswehr assets as Defence Minister Pistorius warns future conflicts will spill openly into orbit. Sirotin Intelligence
• [New] The global defence satellite communications commercial service revenues are projected to surge past $8.6 billion by 2034, driven by the pivotal role satellite connectivity plays in modern defence operations. KeepTrack
• [New] US arms sales to Taiwan will likely surge if the special budget for asymmetric warfare and operational resilience passes Legislative Yuan scrutiny. American Enterprise Institute - AEI
• [New] Japan aims to reach a defence spending goal of 2% of gross domestic product in the current fiscal year through March, ahead of the original target of fiscal 2027. CNBC
• [New] The federal government is planning to spend an extra $50 billion on defence over the next decade, meaning Australia's total defence spend will be equivalent to 2.4% of its gross domestic product within 10 years. Intergenerational Fairness Coalition
• [New] The European Commission unveiled an updated roadmap for the European defence programme Readiness 2030, which includes a target for joint purchases of defence equipment (40% by 2027). economic-research.bnpparibas.com
• [New] As Commission President von der Leyen said in early March, if member states were to increase their defence spending on average by 1.5% of GDP, there could be a fiscal space of close to €650 billion over a period of four years. Elcano Royal Institute
• [New] The 'ReArm Europe / European Readiness' 2030 plan focuses - since the invasion of Ukraine - on investing in defence capabilities and building on an increase of over 30% in many member-states. Elcano Royal Institute
• [New] The Commission will track industrial capacity - starting with air and missile defence, drones, and space systems - to ensure Europe can meet its most urgent needs. Defence Industry and Space
• [New] In the context of intensified Russian drone and missile attacks on Ukraine, notably against civilian and energy infrastructure, the European Council is expected to reiterate its unwavering political, financial, military and humanitarian support for Ukraine. Epthinktank
• [New] Despite all the talk among China hawks in Australia of a war between China and the US over Taiwan, the US president has been notably silent on China as a military threat. Australian Broadcasting Corporation
• [New] France and Germany are likely to strengthen domestic military power, while an increase in the number of bilateral defence agreements among Eastern European countries will form a new external balancing. Modern Diplomacy
• [New] In 2027 and 2028, recovery is expected, with growth accelerating to 1.6% and 1.8%, respectively, aided by fiscal expansion in Germany, lower interest rates, and further increases in military spending. MIT OpenCourseWare
• Denmark will provide Ukraine with a new military aid package worth 1.1 billion kroner (roughly $172 million), including maritime equipment and funding for training. Critical Threats
• The mood in the Caribbean grows increasingly tense, as the United States intensifies its military threats. Countercurrents
• If Ukraine receives Tomahawk missiles, they will be used exclusively against military targets. Caliber.az
• The debt-funded defence spending increase in Germany will drive overall demand for European defence products. Bruegel | The Brussels-based economic think tank
• If the current trajectory continues, Russia will have the world's second largest standing army after China, which continues to massively increase its own military capability. Bruegel | The Brussels-based economic think tank

Last updated: 30 October 2025