DefenceTalkTop US generals warned lawmakers Tuesday that aging equipment, chronic underfunding and understaffing have severely impacted military readiness, as the Republican-led Congress hopes to usher in a spending bonanza under President Donald Trump. The president has repeatedly said the vast US military is suffering from massive shortages and has vowed a “great rebuilding” of the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/tales-of-woe-from-us-military-ahead-of-likely-spending-boost-69014/

DefenceTalkGerman Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has called on the US to clarify its foreign policy agenda. Questions on transatlantic relations abound as Donald Trump prepares to take over the White House. Von der Leyen defended NATO and the transatlantic relationship on Wednesday while calling for clarification from the incoming Trump Administration regarding its […]https://www.defencetalk.com/germany-raises-defense-spending-as-it-demands-clear-agenda-from-us-68846/

DefenceTalkThe Norwegian Government this week followed up on the new Long Term Defence Plan presented in June with a 2017 budget that involves a significant increase in the funding level for the Norwegian Armed Forces. In total, the Government proposes a NOK 1.9 billion increase year on year, of which NOK 1.14 billion addresses specific […]https://www.defencetalk.com/norway-follows-up-long-term-defence-plan-with-significant-budget-increase-68358/

DefenceTalkThe military service chiefs today unanimously named budget uncertainty and reduced funding levels leading to gaps in readiness as their most critical long-term budgetary challenges. Testifying before the Senate Armed Services Committee were Army Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Milley, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John M. Richardson, Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-military-chiefs-budget-uncertainty-funding-levels-are-biggest-challenges-68176/

DefenceTalkJapan’s defense ministry requested a record budget on Wednesday, with funds for an anti-ship missile system to defend islands at the center of a territorial dispute with China. Tokyo is determined to defend the uninhabited islets in the East China Sea — administered by Japan as the Senkakus but claimed by China as the Diaoyus […]https://www.defencetalk.com/japan-eyes-record-defense-budget-to-develop-anti-ship-missiles-68077/

DefenceTalkThe government of the Netherlands is following through on an earlier pledge to commit a EUR100 million ($112 million) real-term increase to the defense budget on an annual basis with an earmark of an extra EUR220 million ($248 million) under its fiscal year 2016 budget. With the country’s current inflation rate around 0.8 percent the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/dutch-government-plans-to-bolster-defense-spending-in-2016-65440/

DefenceTalkGermany’s Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen has urged NATO states to adhere to the two-percent target for military spending. She was speaking on the 60th anniversary of West Germany joining the alliance. Speaking in Berlin on Tuesday, von der Leyen warned the NATO members against fixating purely on the target of spending two percent […]https://www.defencetalk.com/german-minister-calls-for-more-nato-defense-spending-64764/

DefenceTalkThe Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense on June 9 approved its FY16 Defense Appropriations Bill, which recommends funding increases to improve the readiness of the Armed Forces and makes significant investments to sustain U.S. force structure. The measure, which is scheduled to be considered by the full Committee on Thursday, June 11, recommends $489.1 billion […]https://www.defencetalk.com/fy16-us-defense-appropriations-bill-cleared-by-senate-subcommittee-64455/

DefenceTalkThe US State Department and Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced a plan to allow for the first time NATO members and organizations to share with each other US-acquired military equipment to maximize defense budgets, according to DSCA statement. “NATO Allies are seeking mutual cost sharing both within and outside of NATO to maximize their […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-to-allow-nato-members-to-share-us-weapons-62635/

DefenceTalkUS President Barack Obama was planning to undo cuts on defense and other domestic programs as part of his budget for 2016, the White House said Thursday. Obama’s main goal is to freeze the so-called “sequester,” a series of automatic cuts which would reduce spending by $1 trillion (roughly 884 billion euros) by 2021 if […]https://www.defencetalk.com/obama-to-reverse-defense-spending-limits-in-2016-budget-62468/