The U.S. Department of Defense announced the 2024 fiscal year defense budget on Monday local time, with a total of 842 billion U.S. dollars (about NT$25.64 trillion), the highest in history.

(Reuters)

[Instant News/Comprehensive Report] The U.S. Department of Defense announced the 2024 fiscal year defense budget on Monday local time. An increase of 13.4%.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks said the budget increase was in response to threats posed by Russia and China.

The Pentagon announced on the 13th the details of the defense budget for fiscal year 2024, with a record high of US$842 billion (approximately NT$25.64 trillion), of which US$315 billion (approximately NT$9.6 trillion) will be used for the procurement of new weapons.

At the same time, US$37.7 billion (approximately NT$1.14 trillion) is allocated for the modernization of nuclear weapons, and US$29.8 billion (approximately NT$907.4 billion) is allocated for the modernization of missile defense capabilities.

Another US$33.3 billion (approximately NT$1.01 trillion) will go to the Space Force, and US$13.5 billion (approximately NT$411 billion) will be used to establish a network task force and network activities to protect data networks.

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Hicks and Chris Grady, vice chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff, held a joint press conference at the Pentagon. During the meeting, she listed China, Russia, North Korea, Iran, global terrorist organizations and other challenges, saying that it is The most strategic budget in history, and specifically named China, expressing the hope that this defense budget can create the world's deadliest, most resilient, most agile and most responsive joint combat force, allowing China to consider the risk of aggression , I hope that from today to 2049, and every day after that, the conclusion that "today is not suitable" will continue to be drawn.

Hicks also mentioned that part of the budget will be dedicated to improving and producing hypersonic missiles, and urged Congress to approve the budget as soon as possible.

She said delays pose a serious threat when facing rivals like China.

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin also pointed out in a press release that the new budget will make multiple key investments to maintain the U.S. military advantage over China.

These include integrated air and missile defense, and operational energy efficiency, as well as air supremacy, maritime superiority, and munitions including hypersonics.

At the same time, in order to deter more effectively in the Indo-Pacific and maintain a free and open region, the allocation of US$9.1 billion (approximately NT$277.1 billion) for the "Pacific Deterrence Initiative" is also the highest in history.

As for the European deterrence initiative against Russia, about US$5 billion (approximately NT$152.2 billion) is also allocated.