Austria will remain part of the European Sky Shield Initiative and increase its defense spending to 2% of its GDP annually under the new coalition government, which took office on Thursday. The far-right Freedom Party had previously announced plans to exit the German-founded air defense project, but negotiations with the conservative People’s Party have failed.
The three-way coalition, led by conservatives and including social democrats and economic liberals, has adopted a plan similar to the previous government’s policies, including its stance on European Sky Shield. The chancellery will remain with the conservative party, while the defense ministry’s future domain is uncertain.
Austria joined the European Sky Shield Initiative in 2022, alongside 22 other countries from Scandinavia to Turkey. The initiative aims to coordinate air-defense systems among its members to counter Russian missile and drone threats. The new government has reaffirmed support for Ukraine and criticized Russia’s invasion of its neighbor.
The coalition plans to invest €17 billion by 2032 in the military, as part of its “construction plan 2023+.” This will be equivalent to 2% of Austria’s GDP, similar to NATO member states. The government also plans to establish a standby force with professional soldiers and militia members to respond quickly to unexpected threats.
The Austrian air force has announced plans to phase out its Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, with the intention of procuring 36 new jets from the US or Sweden. A decision on this matter is expected soon.
Source: https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2025/02/28/austria-sticks-to-euro-sky-shield-under-moderate-coalition-government