Europe is rearming at a pace not seen in decades.

More than £22 billion have been poured into military defence contracts so far this year – an urgent response to Russia’s preparations to wage a ‘large-scale war’ on the continent within five years.

Budgets appear to have swollen as governments are rushing to boost their borders, something resembling a real-world battlefield from Call of Duty.

Metro has been tracking military contracts issued to private manufacturers since January 1, including by the UK.

The findings show that billions of pounds are flowing into the production of weapons, high-tech surveillance systems and maintenance of the already existing arsenal.

Why this matters

The timing and scale of the new contracts coincide with warnings from a number of security officials that the Kremlin is laying the groundwork for a potential large-scale conventional war with Nato.

Despite ongoing losses in Ukraine and international sanctions, Russia has accelerated its military production.

Germany’s government has warned that Russia’s economy is generating more output than is required solely for its invasion of Ukraine.

Military spending has risen to an estimated £100 billion – the equivalent to over 6% of GDP – nearly quadrupling its 2021 defence budget.

Behind the scenes

After taking office in January, Donald Trump has avoided a confrontational stance toward Russia and has went even further, praising Vladimir Putin as a leader and re-establishing diplomatic relations.

The US president has been working to broker a ceasefire in Ukraine, ending the full-scale invasion.

While for the US, the conflict may seem like a lucrative business deal, for Europe it is a matter of survival.

The UK alone has awarded more than £12 billion of contracts since the start of the year.

Aerospace company Thales has won a £1.6 billion-deal to supply 5,000 lightweight multirole missiles (LMM) to Ukraine.

Defence provider Babcock International Group has also won a contract of the same amount to provide the British Army with equipment, including tanks and armoured vehicles.

And Rolls-Royce Holdings are being given £9 billion by the UK to design and manufacture nuclear reactors to power submarines.

Emmanuel Macron announced £1.2 billion in March to modernise one of France’s main air bases with the latest nuclear missile technology.

As part of the contract, he ordered the expansion of the French fleet of the Dassault Rafale fighter jets. 

‘The world we live in is increasingly dangerous, and increasingly uncertain,’ said Macron, referring to the shifting global alliances.

‘Our country and our continent must continue to defend, equip, and prepare itself if we want to avoid war.’

Meanwhile, the Netherlands announced plans to enhance its air defence capabilities by purchasing 22 Skyranger systems, whichwill be mounted on ACSV Gen 5 tracked armored vehicles

The total procurement cost? £1.1 billion.

Poland just signed a £1.5 contract with the US to supply logistical support for Patriot missile-defence systems.

Defence minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz said in Krakow: ‘This is the protection of the Polish sky, this is within Polish airspace.

‘So it is an absolute priority for us and it is very good that there is a Polish-American cooperation in this area.’

A whooping £2.5 billion contract with Rheinmetall automotive and arms supplier was also unveiled by Germany in February to procure up to 368 IdZ-ES platoon systems for the Army.

What is next

Greece has today will announced it will spend £21 billion through to 2036 in the ‘most drastic’ defence overhaul in its modern history.

Prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told Parliament: ‘Τhe plan involves the most drastic transformation of the armed forces in the country’s modern history.

‘The world is changing at an unforeseeable pace.’

The money will be spent on a new anti-missile, anti-aircraft and anti-drone defensive dome called ‘Achilles’s Shield’ – similar to Israel’s famed Iron Dome.

The new initiative is also designed to make Greece ‘a key branch’ of the European Union’s defence mechanism.

Away from defence contracts, Germany is taking an unprecedented step by deploying a 5,000-strong armored brigade in Lithuania to boost Nato’s eastern flank.

It is the first time since World War II that the country has officially launched a permanent foreign troop deployment.

Brigadier general Christoph Huber told dpa, the German press agency: ‘We have a clear mission: to ensure the protection, freedom and security of our Lithuanian allies on Nato’s eastern flank.

‘In doing so, we also protect Nato territory and Germany itself.’

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