$91 Billion Spent on Asymmetric Deterrence

Author: Ivan Timofeev, PhD in Political Science, Director of Programs at RIAC.

The United States spent $580.7 billion on defence in 1989. The USSR could afford $318.6 billion, while China spent just $20.2 billion.

In 2015, the United States spent $595 billion on defence. Russia spent $91 billion and China spent $214 billion.

The end of the Cold War had almost no impact on the U.S. military industrial sector, which has enjoyed massive financing for the last 25 years. China is increasing its capabilities significantly, while Russia has gone through an extremely difficult transition. In 1998, Russia’s defence budget barely exceeded $19 billion.

Under these circumstances, Russia is forced to rely on asymmetric deterrence and search for optimal coalitions.

Data

— SIPRI Military Expenditures Database