The US — and a bevy of defence and safety commentators and think-tankers — are demanding that Australia massively improve its defence spending to assist combat a conflict with China.
Crikey has taken a have a look at the important thing numbers round this vexing subject. How a lot can we spend on defence? Is it spent properly? And who advantages?
Australia’s present defence spending: $51.5 billion (2025-26)
Common annual development forecast over the ahead estimates: 4.9%
The Albanese authorities’s purpose for defence spending: 2.33% of GDP by 2034
The Trump administration’s name for Australian defence spending in March: 3% of GDP
The Trump administration’s name for Australian defence spending in June: 3.5% of GDP
In greenback phrases, 3.5% of GDP defence spending can be: $91.5 billion in 2024-25
Australian Defence Power headcount in June 2024: 57,226
Australian Defence Power headcount in June 2019: 58,058
Division of Defence headcount in June 2024: 19,465
Division of Defence headcount in June 2019: 16,902
Auditor-Normal efficiency audits of Defence since 2021-22: 16
Auditor-Normal audits with “partially efficient” or worse findings about Defence since 2021-22: 11
Variety of occasions Defence has admitted to main faults in its procurement course of: 1
Whole schedule slippage of Defence main initiatives, 2024-25: 442 months
Whole schedule slippage of Defence main initiatives, 2020-21: 405 months
Variety of initiatives Defence hid from public scrutiny in Main Initiatives Stories in 2024-25: 20
Variety of initiatives Defence hid from public scrutiny in Main Initiatives Stories 2020-21: 4
Variety of months between the institution of the Australian Submarine Company and the announcement of a significant assessment into the Australian Submarine Company: 17 months
Fee of development of Virginia-class nuclear submarines in the US wanted to supply Australia with submarines beneath AUKUS: 2 submarines per 12 months by 2028, 2.33 by 2030
Present fee of Virginia-class nuclear submarine development: 1.2 per 12 months
Fee of development since 2022: 1.2 per 12 months
Events when the US has produced two Virginia-class submarines a 12 months: “By no means.”
The quantity Australia is paying the US to speed up development: US$3 billion
The quantity Australia has already paid: US$500 million
Taxpayer cash handed by Defence to Thales company since January 2020: $5.67 billion
Taxpayer cash handed by Defence to Lockheed company since January 2020: $2.17 billion
Taxpayer cash handed by Defence to Raytheon company since January 2020: $2.14 billion
