Brunei Defence Spending to Reach Record High of $796.3 Million

05 Maret 2024

Two U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II pilots, assigned to Eielson Air Force Base Alaska, prepare aircraft for departure from Royal Brunei Air Force Base Rimba, Brunei, March 2, 2024. This was the first time a U.S. fighter aircraft landed in Brunei and represents a new model of international cooperation, ensuring U.S. and Coalition partner security well into the 21st Century (photo: USAF)

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – The defence ministry is set to receive its largest budget of $796.3 million in the upcoming 2024/25 fiscal year as it seeks to improve military intelligence and surveillance amid geostrategic uncertainty.

Despite lower government revenue, the proposed defence budget represented a 28.5% jump from the current FY 2023/24, which ends on March 31. The figure was also a 10.7% rise from the previous high of $719.15 million a decade ago.

In his budget speech at the Legislative Council on Saturday, Second Minister of Defence Pehin Dato Hj Halbi Hj Mohd Yussof said a strong defence strategy is needed to protect national interests in an increasingly complex and unpredictable security landscape.

Similar to priorities in the previous year’s budget, the ministry will continue strengthening capabilities through the acquisition, maintenance and upgrading of assets to fend off security threats.

“The Ministry of Defense and Royal Brunei Armed Forces are actively working to improve intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance, where a new system will be used in the near future,” the minister said.

“Attention is also focused on the ability to monitor and detect underwater threats to ensure an effective response in maintaining the territorial integrity of Brunei,” he added.

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