Ireland cuts budget for 2011

“In 2011 the Department of Defence and the Defence Forces, like all areas of the public service, will operate on a reduced budget. The gross allocation in 2011 for Defence and Army Pensions combined is EUR 933m, an overall reduction of 4% on the 2010 allocation. Defence spending at EUR 725m (including capital spending) will be down by EUR 30m (4%) on the 2010 Estimate. The provision for Army Pensions (Vote 37) for 2011 is EUR 208m, which is a non-discretionary expenditure.

Vote 36 (Defence) and 37 (Army Pensions)



The expenditure reductions will be delivered through the reduction in participation in overseas peacekeeping, particularly the withdrawal from Chad and the reductions in numbers serving in Kosovo and Bosnia- Herzegovina. Savings will also be achieved through the postponement of expenditure on equipment and capital works across the Defence Forces.

There are currently 2 aircrafts available for the Ministerial Air Transport Service. The Gulfstream IV aircraft is in service for almost 20 years and no provision has been made in the Estimates for a replacement or for any major structural repair. The Learjet aircraft will continue in operation.

While there have been reductions in the overall Defence budget, steady investment since 2000 means that the Defence Forces are well placed in addressing the challenges for 2011 and the adjustments required under the National Recovery Plan.

The procurement of two new naval vessels will continue within the reduced allocation for Defence spending.

All of the main savings indentified in the Special Group on Public Service Numbers and Expenditure Programmes have already been implemented or alternative savings identified.”

“The priority in the coming year will be on maintaining the capability of the Defence Forces to deliver effective services across all of the roles assigned by Government.

Ireland remains open to participation in peace keeping operations with such participation reflecting the reduced budgetary resources. The Defence Forces retain the capacity to deploy overseas. No decisions have been made by the Government in relation to new peace keeping operations.” added Minister Killeen.

Sri Lanka Spending $1.9B in 2011

COLOMBO, Sir Lanka -The Sri Lanka government has allocated SLR215 billion ($1.92 billion) for defense for 2011, amounting to 20 percent of the national budget and representing an increase of 6 percent over last year's budget. Much of this budget is due to large installment payments on military hardware bought over the years. These will continue to dominate the military budget for some time.
As usual, the 200,000-strong Sri Lanka Army will absorb just over half of the entire defense spending to maintain its personnel. A substantial proportion of this will be spent on new bases and cantonments needed to accommodate troops in the northern and eastern provinces, replacing the existing makeshift shelters.
Also acting to increase the defense budget is the consolidation of a number of paramilitary budgets from other ministries into the Ministry of Defense.

S Korea approves 6.2% increase for defense in 2011

South Korea’s parliament approved plans to increase spending next year by 5.5 percent to 309.1 trillion won ($270 billion).
Lawmakers from the ruling Grand National Party approved the budget in a televised session of the National Assembly today, allocating 500 billion won less than a September proposal by the government.
Members of the opposition parties including the Democratic Party tried to block passage after the GNP earlier today approved the bill at a subcommittee without their participation.
South Korea plans to increase spending on defense by 6.2 percent to 31.4 trillion won next year to bolster military readiness to respond to any provocation by North Korea. The increase is higher than the 5.8 percent initially planned by the government.

France Defense spending Cuts for 3yrs

Paris - France confirmed on Sept. 29 an announced cut in defense spending of 3.6 billion euros ($4.8 billion) over the next three years, as government officials said the effects would be "very limited" because of receipts from the sale of property and digital frequencies.

The defense officials drafting the military budget law factored in export contracts for the Rafale fighter jet from Dassault Aviation, but as no such deals have been signed, the government must find 800 million euros over the three-year period to buy (DASSAULT)

The military is contributing to the government's attempts to reduce the public deficit but defense remains a priority for the state, the officials said.

The planned asset disposal would partly compensate for the budget cut, leaving a shortfall of 1.26 billion euros compared with the figure in the multiyear military budget law adopted in 2009, a government official said.
"It's less euphoric but it's in line with the military budget law," the official said.
Total spending under the 2009-14 military budget law was set at 185.9 billion euros at 2008 prices, of which 101.9 billion was earmarked for equipment.
Despite the reduction over the three years, defense spending will climb each year from 2011, which was not the case in other government departments, the official said.
Under the new three-year budget, equipment spending will be 16 billion euros in 2011, 16.8 billion in 2012 and 17.04 billion in 2012.
The military budget law set 16.04 billion euros for 2011, 16.41 billion in 2012 and 17.02 billion in 2013.
Equipment spending hit a record 18 billion euros in 2009 under a bow wave effect as equipment which had been under development for years finally hit the production and delivery stage. That total eased to 17 billion in the current year.
The defense officials drafting the military budget law factored in export contracts for the Rafale fighter jet from Dassault Aviation, but as no such deals have been signed, the government must find 800 million euros over the three-year period to buy the aircraft needed to maintain production at an annual 11 units.
The Defense Ministry confirmed that part of the savings will come from postponing the midlife upgrade and conversion of the Mirage 2000-D fighter-bomber to an air defense variant, an order for 14 multirole tanker and transport aircraft (MRTT), and elements of the Scorpion Army modernization program.
An order for the MRTT will come back for review in 2012 or 2013. French officials are negotiating with their British counterparts for a possible lease of the tanker jets being acquired under the future strategic tanker aircraft program for the Royal Air Force. But the lease terms being offered are too expensive, a French official said. If a cooperative deal is reached, it would be announced at the Anglo-French summit to be held in November.
The government published on Sept. 29 the defense spending figures which will go to the National Assembly in the autumn for voting.

UK MoD 2010 Data

http://www.dasa.mod.uk/modintranet/UKDS/UKDS2010/pdf/UKDS2010.pdf

Netherlands Defense Budget Projection

2.1 Uitgaven begrotingen (in miljoenen euro)
              2009     2010          2011        2012         2013         2014       2015

Defensie  8 733     8 514          8 459        8 224         8 217         8 254        8 236 http://miljoenennota.prinsjesdag2010.nl/miljoenennota-2011/Search.ZGVmZW5zaWU=/aDU1053_2-De-uitgaven-en-niet-belastingontvangsten.aspx

UK Defence Budget Cut By 8%

The Government has today agreed funding for Defence of £33.8bn in 2011-12, £34.4bn in 2012-13, £34.1bn in 2013-14 and £33.5bn in 2014-15. This settlement represents an eight per cent reduction in real terms.

This agreed funding is part of the Government's 2010 Spending Review which has been announced by the Chancellor today.

The Spending Review set out to allocate resources to Government Departments according to the Government's priorities.

The 2010 Spending Review covers the four years from 2011-12 to 2014-15.

The Spending Review has been run concurrently with the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), bringing defence plans, commitments and resources into balance so that we have a coherent defence capability and a sustainable defence programme for the future.

At least £4.3bn of savings will be made in non-front line activities over the Spending Review period. The MOD's administration costs will also reduce by 33 per cent over the period.

Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said:

"The SDSR has reshaped our Armed Forces to tackle future and emerging threats. We now also know how much money we will have to carry out the vital job of protecting Britain's national security.

"This will enable us to bring defence policy, plans, commitments and resources into balance so that we can emerge with a coherent and affordable defence programme for the future."