The initiatives of the government have resulted in a "clear circumvention of the law that was established a decade ago," which has increased the defense force from 150,000 to 160,000 soldiers. However, considering the multiple fronts in which we are involved, from the Middle East to NATO's eastern flank to the Mediterranean expanded to Operation Safe Roads in Italy, we need at least another 10 thousand additional units in the future." Admiral Giuseppe Cavo Dragone, chief of defense staff, made this statement during a hearing before the joint committees of the Senate and the Chamber. The admiral then reminded that the 2% of GDP target for defense spending should be met by 2028, with spending growing from 27.7 billion in 2023 to 42 billion in 2028, a 15 billion rise in 5 years.
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