The 18% increase in military intelligence spending marks the largest increase in a decade, with most recent years seeing increases of around 2-7%. While details on intelligence expenses are not released due to secrecy requirements, request amounts and the spending approved by Congress are released. And while the U.S. has fewer troops in Afghanistan and Iraq now than 10 years ago, the intelligence needs in these contexts and others have expanded. These needs are being met through networks of people and signals intelligence, largely driven by drone programs. This network, ranging “from targeting to collection, to processing, to analysis, to dissemination – the intelligence cycle is expensive and manpower-intensive,” explained an analyst with the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments. Also driving the increase is expanded spy programs against Russia since its invasion of Ukraine in 2014, as well as continued bureaucratic growth.
Source: Military Intelligence Spending Just Posted Biggest Spike in a Decade – Defense One
