Australia will raise military spending to 3% of its gross domestic product by 2033 as part of a sweeping update to its defense strategy that will include expanding investments in drones and autonomous systems ¡ª a shift also underway in Japan.
The increase, the nation¡¯s biggest ever in peacetime, will be driven by an additional 14 billion Australian dollars ($10.6 billion) in funding over the next four years and AU$53 billion over the next decade, which would push total defense spending to AU$887 billion through 2035-36.
¡°International norms that once constrained the use of force and military coercion continue to erode,¡± Defence Minister Richard Marles said Thursday in a speech as he unveiled his country¡¯s latest .
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.