U.S. Military Spending/Defense Budget 1960-2024

Military expenditures data from SIPRI are derived from the NATO definition, which includes all current and capital expenditures on the armed forces, including peacekeeping forces; defense ministries and other government agencies engaged in defense projects; paramilitary forces, if these are judged to be trained and equipped for military operations; and military space activities. Such expenditures include military and civil personnel, including retirement pensions of military personnel and social services for personnel; operation and maintenance; procurement; military research and development; and military aid (in the military expenditures of the donor country).
  • U.S. military spending/defense budget for 2021 was $800.67B, a 2.86% increase from 2020.
  • U.S. military spending/defense budget for 2020 was $778.40B, a 6% increase from 2019.
  • U.S. military spending/defense budget for 2019 was $734.34B, a 7.6% increase from 2018.
  • U.S. military spending/defense budget for 2018 was $682.49B, a 5.53% increase from 2017.
Data Source: World Bank

MLA Citation:
Similar Country Ranking
Country Name Billions of US $
United States $800.67B
United Kingdom $68.37B
France $56.65B
Germany $56.02B
Saudi Arabia $55.56B
Japan $54.12B
South Korea $50.23B
Italy $32.01B
Australia $31.75B
Canada $26.45B
Israel $24.34B
Spain $19.54B
Netherlands $13.75B
Poland $13.71B
Qatar $11.59B
Singapore $11.12B
Kuwait $9.02B
Norway $8.25B
Greece $8.08B
Sweden $7.89B
Belgium $6.31B
Chile $6.23B
Finland $5.90B
Oman $5.78B
Switzerland $5.74B
Denmark $5.39B
Portugal $4.91B
Czech Republic $3.94B
Austria $3.83B
New Zealand $3.39B
Hungary $2.78B
Argentina $2.59B
Slovak Republic $1.98B
Croatia $1.74B
Bahrain $1.38B
Ireland $1.27B
Uruguay $1.26B
Lithuania $1.24B
Latvia $0.83B
Estonia $0.76B
Slovenia $0.73B
Cyprus $0.52B
Luxembourg $0.46B
Brunei $0.45B
Trinidad and Tobago $0.21B
Malta $0.08B
Seychelles $0.02B
Iceland $0.00B
Panama $0.00B
U.S. Military Spending/Defense Budget - Historical Data
Year Billions of US $ % of GDP
2021 $800.67B 3.48%
2020 $778.40B 3.72%
2019 $734.34B 3.43%
2018 $682.49B 3.31%
2017 $646.75B 3.31%
2016 $639.86B 3.41%
2015 $633.83B 3.48%
2014 $647.79B 3.70%
2013 $679.23B 4.05%
2012 $725.21B 4.48%
2011 $752.29B 4.84%
2010 $738.01B 4.92%
2009 $705.92B 4.89%
2008 $656.76B 4.46%
2007 $589.59B 4.08%
2006 $558.34B 4.04%
2005 $533.20B 4.09%
2004 $493.00B 4.02%
2003 $440.53B 3.83%
2002 $378.46B 3.45%
2001 $331.81B 3.12%
2000 $320.09B 3.11%
1999 $298.09B 3.09%
1998 $291.00B 3.20%
1997 $293.17B 3.41%
1996 $287.96B 3.56%
1995 $295.85B 3.86%
1994 $308.08B 4.22%
1993 $316.72B 4.60%
1992 $325.03B 4.97%
1991 $299.37B 4.88%
1990 $325.13B 5.61%
1989 $321.87B 5.87%
1988 $309.66B 6.07%
1987 $304.09B 6.42%
1986 $295.55B 6.63%
1985 $272.16B 6.45%
1984 $245.15B 6.24%
1983 $223.43B 6.32%
1982 $221.67B 6.81%
1981 $176.56B 5.65%
1980 $143.69B 5.15%
1979 $126.88B 4.95%
1978 $113.38B 4.94%
1977 $104.67B 5.16%
1976 $94.72B 5.19%
1975 $92.08B 5.62%
1974 $89.28B 5.95%
1973 $81.47B 5.89%
1972 $80.71B 6.52%
1971 $78.24B 6.94%
1970 $83.41B 8.03%
1969 $84.99B 8.63%
1968 $84.33B 9.27%
1967 $78.40B 9.42%
1966 $66.44B 8.44%
1965 $54.56B 7.59%
1964 $53.43B 8.05%
1963 $54.56B 8.83%
1962 $54.65B 9.33%
1961 $49.88B 9.16%
1960 $47.35B 8.99%