Report: Israel World’s Eighth Largest Arms Exporter

Israel is the eighth largest arms exporter in the world according to a report released earlier this week by The Stockholm international Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) detailing global arms dealing trends in the years 2013-2017. During that time, Israel’s share of total global arms increased by 55% compared to the previous report covering the period for 2008 to 2012, during which Israel was the world’s 10th largest arms exporter, and now accounts for 2.9% of global arms exports, compared with 2.1% in the previous report.

India was Israel’s largest customer, accounting for a massive 49% of all deals during the period of the report, followed by Azerbaijan (13%), and Vietnam (6.3%).

According to the report, Israel military exports included missiles, radars (and other sensors) and unmanned aerial vehicles

Israel’s arms imports increased by 125 per cent. The United States accounted for 60% of these arms imports. Major deliveries in 2013–17 included 9 (of a total order of 50) F-35 combat aircraft. These aircraft significantly strengthen Israel’s options to strike targets throughout the Middle East, the report said. Germany delivered two submarines to Israel in 2013–17, accounting for 30% of Israel’s arms imports in that period. In 2017 Germany agreed to supply a further three submarines to Israel.

The US maintained its position as the world’s largest arms exporter, with its share of total exports rising from 30% to 34% and growing by 25 % over the previous period.   In 2013–17 US arms exports were 58% higher than those of Russia—the second largest arms exporter for that period, compared to just 17% higher in 2008-2012 per cent higher than Russia’s.

States in the Middle East accounted for 49% of US arms exports in 2013–17.