New Zealand is forecast by Janes Defence Budgets to continue to increase its military expenditure over the coming few years. The spike in 2019 was caused by a one-off recognition of veterans' entitlements. (Janes Defence Budgets)
New Zealand has announced a defence budget of NZD6 billion (USD3.8 billion) for 2022–23. The figure represents a nominal increase of 4% over the final budget of NZD5.75 billion in 2021–22.
New Zealand's defence budget contains two appropriations: ‘Vote Defence Force', which covers salaries, training costs, capital expenditures, and military preparedness, and ‘Vote Defence', which is allocated for managing procurement and sustainment activity and policy advice.
The Vote Defence Force has been allocated NZD4.89 billion for 2022–23, a 6% increase over the estimated final budget of NZD4.63 billion from the previous year. The Vote Defence expenditure has been allocated NZD1.17 billion, a rise of 5% over the NZD1.11 billion final allocation from last year.
The Vote Defence Force allocation provides a total capital expenditure of NZD1.56 billion for the New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF), an increase of 16% compared with the final allocation of NZD1.34 billion in 2021–22.
The Vote Defence Force also outlines a total funding allocation for NZDF services. The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) will receive NZD941.6 million in 2022–23, a year-on-year increase of 2%. The New Zealand Army and Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) have been allocated NZD1 billion and NZD666.6 million, increase of 13% and 10%, respectively.
Vote Defence Force also outlines some crucial ‘policy initiatives' including procurements.
These include an allocation of NZD11 million for New Zealand's acquisition of Lockheed Martin C‐130J‐30 Super Hercules transport aircraft, which was announced in 2019, and NZD50.3 million towards the procurement of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), announced in 2018.
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