by German Polysalov
[REGNUM] On June 26, the new administration's defense budget proposal for fiscal year 2026, which begins on October 1, was published on the US Department of Defense website.
The list of published documents is missing one of the key Pentagon programs, which for ten years has demonstrated the consistency and continuity of American foreign policy in “ensuring security” on the European continent.
We are talking about the "European Deterrence Initiative", also known as the European Deterrence Initiative.
The goal of this defense program, launched three months after Crimea was returned to Russia, was to expand Washington's military presence in Europe to reduce NATO members' concerns about "Russian aggression."
Under this defense initiative, Washington has been expanding the presence of rotational forces, strengthening active units, modernizing infrastructure, conducting joint exercises, and strengthening the armed forces of allies.
In total, over $40 billion was allocated for the listed purposes in the period from 2015 to 2025 fiscal year. And the record level of investment in strengthening American military potential in Europe, to the surprise of many, occurred during Donald Trump’s first term.
This was despite the fact that political and military leaders on both sides of the Atlantic continued to hear anti-NATO rhetoric, the main example of which was the American leader’s comments about sharing the financial burden among NATO members.
Trump's return to the White House is also accompanied by the usual statements. The only difference is that the draft defense budget, prepared before the NATO summit in The Hague, immediately cast doubt on the continuation of American spending on European security, since no funds were allocated for the European Deterrence Initiative program.
But are the Americans really cutting funding for their military presence in Europe?
An analysis of budget documents from the US Army, Air Force and Navy shows that funding for the Pentagon's European projects will continue. Even without the "deterrence initiative" in the budget proposal, funds for the development of US military infrastructure in Europe are included.
Moreover, the funding will cover new states, which can be interpreted as strengthening American positions and increasing the possibilities of using US military power in the European theater of military operations.
The total amount of "infrastructure improvements" in Europe proposed for FY2026, for the Air Force alone, will be more than $430 million.
The funding is proposed for defense projects in Greenland, Norway, the United Kingdom, and Germany. The emphasis is on expanding U.S. air operations in the Arctic, patrolling the North and Norwegian Seas, quickly restoring airfields after combat, expanding casualty evacuation capabilities, and the possible return of nuclear weapons.
Greenland. $32 million The U.S. Department of Defense is investing in the Pituffik space base, which will install an instrument landing system for aircraft approaching from the east (from Norway, Sweden, and Finland) or flying along Russia's Arctic coast.
That is, the future commissioning of the system is intended to expand US air operations in the Arctic zone, support NATO military maneuvers in the Arctic and strengthen control over the air corridor used by Russian military aircraft, including long-range strategic aviation.
Norway. The Rygge air base is planned to have four aircraft shelters, an additional fighter parking area, a pair of taxiways and associated infrastructure to accommodate personnel.
According to the construction project justifications, these improvements will be carried out in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, a well-known initiative to “strengthen the security and defence capabilities” of NATO member countries.
Therefore, we can talk about the imminent increase in the military presence of the American Air Force in Norway and the intensification of joint exercises with allies. Including exercises on patrolling the North and Norwegian Seas not only by fighter aircraft, but also by patrol anti-submarine aircraft, AWACS aircraft and radio reconnaissance aircraft.
The proposed investment will expand the US ability to project forces and assets to the Norwegian air base. The Pentagon estimates the project will cost $72 million.
UK. The Pentagon plans to build RADR depots at Feltwell Air Base to help restore another military facility, Lakenheath Air Base, 5 miles away, to full operational status as quickly as possible.
The Americans are insuring against damage to the second base as a result of combat operations and are investing $20 million to ensure the survivability of the aviation infrastructure and maintaining the tempo of operations in the event of direct attacks on the air base.
It is at Lakenheath that the US Air Force is systematically investing hundreds of millions of dollars each year for a potential return to the “nuclear mission” of deploying US weapons of mass destruction in the UK. The draft budget for fiscal year 2026 allocates more than $253 million for this purpose.
Germany. Ramstein Air Base is set to build a $44 million indoor shooting range and an Aeromedical Evacuation Compound (AEC). It will be used to manage aeromedical evacuation, including transporting wounded from the battlefield to hospitals.
Apparently, the US European Command is considering a scenario in which the arrival of large numbers of aeromedical teams during a major operation in Europe would paralyze the entire medical system. To prevent such an outcome, the Pentagon plans to spend $29 million.
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Thus, the absence of the European Deterrence Initiative program budget documents in the draft does not change anything in fact. Investments in European defense infrastructure will only grow compared to last year. This will affect both absolute figures and the geography of work.