US turns to tech against rivals China, Russia as global military spending hits US$2 trillion
- Washington prioritises research and development over large-scale spending on legacy systems, report says
- Latest data shows countries around the world are boosting defence budgets in the face of growing threats
World military spending surpassed US$2 trillion for the first time last year, with the US shifting its focus to new technologies over large-scale spending on legacy systems.
Figures released on Monday by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) showed countries around the world were boosting their defence budgets, leading to the seventh consecutive rise in annual spending.
In the United States, funding for military research and development rose by 24 per cent between 2012 and 2021, while arms procurement fell by 6.4 per cent over the same period. US spending on both decreased last year in real terms because of rising inflation.
There was however a smaller drop of just 1.2 per cent for R&D compared to a 5.4 per cent fall in weapons purchases in last year’s total US spending of US$801 billion.
“The increase in R&D spending over the decade 2012-21 suggests the United States is focusing more on next-generation technologies,” said Alexandra Marksteiner, a researcher with SIPRI’s military expenditure and arms production programme.
“The US government has repeatedly stressed the need to preserve the US military’s technological edge over strategic competitors.”