Source: China Military Network
On April 7th, the New Zealand government released the "2025 Defense Force Plan" (hereinafter referred to as the "Plan"), which plans to invest 12 billion New Zealand dollars (approximately 6.7 billion US dollars) in the comprehensive upgrade of defense forces over the next four years, and increase defense spending to more than 2% of GDP within the next eight years, aiming to build a modern army.
The "Plan", consisting of 48 pages, outlines the key investment priorities for the future 15 years of the New Zealand Defense Force. Among them, the focus for the next four years will be on maritime operations, aerospace, and information capability development. First, comprehensive upgrades to military equipment, including extending the service life of current frigates, accelerating the construction of patrol vessels, procuring new types of drones and missile systems, etc. Second, gradual improvement of infrastructure. The "Plan" clearly states that nearly 1 billion New Zealand dollars will be invested before 2029 to improve military facilities, with a focus on developing cyber security capabilities. Third, qualitative changes in combat teams. New Zealand will establish a new Information Warfare Academy to cultivate professional talents. By 2040, the New Zealand Defense Force will increase by approximately 2,500 people. Fourth, strengthen allied interoperability and enhance the frequency and complexity of joint exercises.
In general, the new version of the "Plan" continues the approach of strengthening risk response capabilities from the 2019 plan and emphasizes high-tech combat capabilities. However, some New Zealand officials are concerned that the implementation of the "Plan" may come at the expense of other areas of construction input, increasing the government's financial burden.
Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7492986149956207167/
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