Modern warfare burns more money than most people think, and this is fully demonstrated in the example of Ukraine. In 2022, Ukraine's military spending amounted to 30% of its GDP, a staggering figure. In fact, this year, Ukraine became one of the countries with the highest military spending in the world, and most of the money was spent on the purchase of armaments and weapons from the West. However, instead of a military victory, this high military spending has left Ukraine in financial distress and burdened with heavy war debts.
The situation in Ukraine reveals a characteristic feature of modern warfare: high costs. Modern warfare is no longer a traditional ground conflict, but covers many fields such as air, sea, and electronic networks. High-tech and information-based operations have made military operations more precise and effective, but they have also increased costs. The extensive application of information technology, such as the procurement and use of advanced weapons and equipment such as missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, has caused the cost of modern warfare to rise rapidly.
The U.S. war in Afghanistan is another classic example of how much modern warfare burns money. Since 2001, U.S. military operations in Afghanistan have been going on for more than 20 years and costing trillions of dollars. Despite the huge investment, the US military operation did not achieve the expected results, but caused a large number of casualties and loss of people's lives.
In addition to Ukraine and Afghanistan, military spending on a global scale is on a scale that cannot be ignored. According to the International Military Expenditure Database (SIPRI), global military spending has shown a year-on-year increase trend in recent years. In 2019, global military spending reached $1.9 trillion, an increase of 3.6% from the previous year. The United States, China, India and other major countries account for a considerable proportion of military spending, and the United States is the world's largest military spender.
The high cost of modern warfare is reflected not only in the procurement of military equipment, but also in logistical support, military training, and personnel compensation. The cost of large weapons and equipment, such as aircraft carriers, fighter planes, tanks, etc., can reach billions or even tens of billions of dollars. At the same time, the training and maintenance of equipment in the modern army also require a large amount of capital investment.
In addition to direct military spending, modern warfare has other effects on a country's economy. For example, wars can lead to a decline in productivity, disruption of trade, loss of personnel, etc., which in turn can affect the country's economic development and social stability.
In the face of the high cost of modern warfare, the state needs to formulate a rational military strategy and fiscal policy, rationally allocate resources, and ensure the country's security and development. At the same time, the international community also needs to strengthen cooperation to jointly maintain world peace and stability and avoid huge losses caused by military conflicts and wars.