In 2023, the US military spent approximately $820.3 billion, or roughly 13.3% of the entire federal budget for that fiscal year. In March 2023, the Department of Defense (DoD) requested $842.0 billion for 2024 — a 2.6% increase.
With the world’s third-largest military, at nearly 1.3 million active-duty troops, the US estimates it spends more than any other nation on its national defense. Between 2014 and 2022, the US spent more than twice as much on defense as did all other NATO members, 30 nations in total.
According to the 2022 National Defense Strategy, US military priorities include countering China’s military presence in the Indo-Pacific; deterring strategic attacks against the US and allies; defending against evolving threats like cyberattacks and addressing aggression from Russia, Iran, and North Korea.
Where does military spending go?
The annual defense budget is a comprehensive financial plan that underpins the US military’s strategic objectives. When the government renews the military budget, it allocates funds across several key areas to support national defense and the operation of the Armed Forces.
The 2024 defense budget clarifies how much funding each military department will receive. Out of the five major Armed Forces managed by the DoD, the Air Force gets the most direct funding at $216.1 billion, followed by the Navy ($202.6 billion), Army ($165.6 billion), Marine Corps ($53.2 billion), and Space Force ($30.1 billion).
The remaining DoD funds are allocated to the National Guard ($32.9 billion), along with focused programs like the Special Operations Command (US SOCOM), the Missile Defense Agency, and the Defense Health Program.
Has military spending increased over time?
After adjusting for inflation, defense spending has risen 62% since 1980, climbing from $506 billion to $820 billion by 2023. Despite the sizeable increase, defense spending growth lags behind overall federal expenditures, which rose 175% over the same period (also adjusted for inflation).
Defense spending responds to external pressures — wars and international conflicts — and internal pressures like reductions in government spending. The collapse of the Soviet Union and the ensuing end of the Cold War resulted in a substantial drop in defense spending throughout the 1990s; the Global War on Terror and overseas operations in Iraq and Afghanistan beginning in the 2000s saw spending rise again.
What percentage of the US budget goes toward the military?
In 2023, defense spending made up 13.3% of the federal budget. Since 1980, the percentage of federal spending for the military has fluctuated between a height of 27.9% in 1987 and lows of 11% in 2020 and 2021.
Is military spending expected to increase?
According to the Congressional Budget Office, military spending is projected to increase by 10% by 2038, after adjusting for inflation. This estimate comes from the rise in costs to compensate military personnel, the operation and maintenance budget, and a slight uptick in the cost of new weapon systems.
How does US military spending compare to other countries?
State Department data on military expenditures from 2009 to 2019 shows that the US has spent as much on its defense as the next 11 top-spending countries combined. China had the next-highest expenditure, investing, on average, less than 30% of what the US allocates. India, Russia, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom trail further behind.
But looking at per-capita military spending from 2009 to 2019, Middle Eastern countries occupy six of the top 10 positions (the US is fifth). The United Arab Emirates spends an average of $3,198 per person on the military each year, compared to $2,798 in the US.
Source: USA Facts