Norway decides to significantly increase its military budget

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storhe Norway announced on Friday that he plans to significantly increase his country's military budget.
He said that the defense budget will increase by 83% by 2036 through the acquisition of five new frigates, a fifth submarine, and more anti-aircraft missiles.
In what he described as a “historic effort,” Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Storhe proposed allocating an additional 600 billion kroner (about 52 billion euros) to his army during the period 2024-2036.
Stoura said that this increase comes in response to “the sustainably deteriorating security situation in this part of the world in which we are located.”
“Having stronger defense capabilities here will serve as a deterrent to those who wish to threaten our security and our allies,” he added, while presenting a white paper on defense aboard a Navy frigate.
Norway, a NATO member state, will request five new frigates, at least a fifth submarine, up to 28 ships of various sizes, maritime surveillance drones, strike weapons and helicopters, according to the white paper.
The number of ground army brigades will be increased from one to three, and the number of NASAMS anti-aircraft systems will be doubled from four to eight. The decision to close the naval patrol air base in Andoya in the north was also cancelled.
Budget Minister Trygve Slagsvold Vidum said the defense budget, which amounted to 91 billion kroner last year, will reach 166 billion kroner in 2036. It will represent the equivalent of about 3% of Norwegian GDP compared to 2% this year, which is the minimum required. NATO expects it.
Since it does not have a majority in parliament, the center-left government needs the support of other parties for its text to be adopted. The Conservative Party, the main opposition force, sent a positive signal, considering that the white paper constitutes a “good basis for negotiations.”
Norway shares a 198-kilometre land border with Russia in the far north, in addition to a maritime border in the Barents Sea.