Germany’s defense spending in 2024 totaled $88.5 billion, or 1.9 percent of its gross domestic product, marking a significant increase since its reunification in 1990.
The boost in spending was propelled by a fund established in 2022 that injected $105 billion, which allowed the German defense ministry to approve several arms procurements and several military research efforts. The nation’s recent acquisitions that benefited from the extra allocation are Leopard 2 A8 main battle tanks, additional U-212CD submarines and Patriot PAC-3 missile defense systems.
With its boost in military expenditure, the European nation joins the list of nations named by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute as the largest defense spenders, including China, India, Russia and the United States.
According to the SIPRI report, defense allocations in Europe have significantly increased amid the war in Ukraine and growing Russian aggression. Poland is among the nations in the central and western parts of the region that have increased their military budgets. In 2024, Warsaw dedicated 4.2 percent of its GDP, or $38 billion, to enhancing its capabilities.
“The latest policies adopted in Germany and many other European countries suggest that Europe has entered a period of high and increasing military spending that is likely to continue for the foreseeable future,” said Lorenzo Scarazzato, a researcher within the SIPRI Military Expenditure and Arms Production program.