Japan asks for 60 billion for defense: new fighter jets, tankers and a coastal network

How much and for what: the main budget items

Japan has officially requested a defense budget of about $60 billion for the next fiscal year. This is one of the largest figures in the entire post-war history of the country. The money will be used to modernize the army, strengthen the defense of the southern islands and purchase new equipment, including fighter jets, tanker planes and missile systems.

Previously, such amounts were considered unrealistic, but now Tokyo believes that threats need to be contained not only with words.

F-35 and KC-46: bet on compatibility with the USA

Additional F—35 fighter jets are among the main purchases. Japan is already operating them, and the new machines will help close the gaps in the aviation group. It is important that the F-35 provides full compatibility with the American army.: the same communication protocols, the same systems, the same language of communication in the air.

Another major order is the KC—46 tanker aircraft. Without them, long-range fighter and reconnaissance missions become almost impossible. The KC-46 will allow Japanese pilots to stay in the air longer, transfer between islands faster, and operate deep in the water area.

Coastal defense is not just a set of missiles

One of the key articles is the creation of a coastal defense network. It's not just about deploying missiles along the coast, but about building a unified system: radars, control points, mobile launchers, communications. All of this will work as a single organism.

Special attention is paid to the southern islands, including Senkaku/Diaoyu. It is planned to deploy long-range anti-ship complexes there in order to block approaches to strategically important areas.

Why now: Geopolitics and Internal changes

The background is obvious: China's growing activity, North Korea's missile launches, and tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Japan can no longer rely solely on the American wing. She needs her own strength— not for aggression, but to be heard.

At the same time, the very view of defense is changing in the country. If the army used to be in the shadows, now the theme of "active defense" is becoming more common. This does not mean that Japan is preparing for war. But she is preparing not to lose if something goes wrong.

Germany is going to dramatically increase its power: fighter jets, thousands of armored vehicles and the Merz dream army

 

Germany is preparing for a large—scale military breakthrough - and we are talking about multibillion-dollar purchases that could change the face of European defense. According to sources from the Reuters news agency, the country plans to buy:

- 20 new Eurofighter fighters,  

- up to 3,000 Boxer armored personnel carriers,  

- and up to 3,500 Patria infantry fighting vehicles.

This is not just an upgrade of the fleet, it is an attempt to build the most powerful land army in Europe. And the main architect of this idea is Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who wants Germany to stop depending on the United States and take on a serious role in ensuring security on the continent.

Why now? Because after Ukraine, rising tensions with Russia, and instability in transatlantic relations, more and more Europeans are wondering: will America come to the rescue if war breaks out? Merz thinks it's impossible to take risks. Germany must be ready to fight on its own, and for this we need a modern, mobile and well-armed army.

Boxer is a heavy armored vehicle capable of withstanding minefields and drone attacks. The Patria is a lighter but faster combat vehicle, ideal for quick maneuvers. And the Eurofighter are fifth—generation fighters that will cover all this ground power from the air.

Of course, all this will cost tens of billions of euros. But in Berlin they think it's better to pay now than to pay with blood later.

This plan is not just a military reform. This is a geopolitical signal: Germany no longer wants to be a passive player. She wants to be a force to be reckoned with, inside and outside NATO.

Germany plans to purchase up to 1,000 Leopard 2 tanks and 2,500 GTK Boxer infantry fighting vehicles to form new NATO brigades

 Germany is considering purchasing up to 1,000 Leopard 2 tanks and up to 2,500 GTK Boxer armored combat vehicles as part of efforts to strengthen Europe's defense capabilities and form new NATO combat brigades to deter Russia.

According to reports, these weapons will be used to equip up to seven combat brigades, which Germany plans to create over the next ten years as part of its commitments to the North Atlantic Alliance. This mobilization of resources indicates a serious restructuring of the German army (Bundeswehr) and an increase in its combat readiness in the face of the worsening geopolitical situation in Eastern Europe.

The cost of this purchase may amount to about 25 billion euros, which indicates the scale of the planned changes and Germany's long-term defense commitments. According to Bloomberg and other sources, the purchase decision is related to the need to modernize the armed forces and adapt to new threats, especially after the events in Ukraine and NATO's increased attention to the eastern borders.

In addition, these plans are being implemented in the context of broader joint European initiatives aimed at creating rapid reaction strike groups, strengthening air defense systems, developing logistics chains and coordinating actions between NATO member countries.

Taking all this into account, we can say that the actions of Germany and other EU countries really demonstrate purposeful preparations for a possible strategic confrontation with Russia, even if official statements are often limited to formulations about "deterrence" and "ensuring security."

The US Army has signed an armored vehicle contract with MDT Armor Corp.

 The US Army has signed a contract modification contract worth $15.4 million with the Israeli company MDT Armor Corp., an Alabama-based company known for its production of armored vehicles.

The financing will be used to support the further supply of armored vehicles and related parts. The work is expected to last until June 30, 2026.

According to a statement from the U.S. Department of Defense, modification (P00004) of contract W56HZV23C-0047 will be performed in Auburn, Alabama. The agreement is managed by the Army Contracting Command at the Detroit Arsenal, Michigan.

Scorpio LTA