The volume of international transfers of major arms in 2014–18 was 7.8 percent higher than in 2009–13 and 23 percent higher than in 2004–2008, according to new data on arms transfers published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
WEAPONS ARE IN HIGH DEMAND IN GULF REGION
The five largest exporters in 2014–18 were the United States, Russia, France, Germany and China. Together, they accounted for 75 percent of the total volume of arms exports in 2014–18. The flow of arms increased to the Middle East between 2009–13 and 2014–18, while there was a decrease in flows to all other regions.
According to the report, US arms exports grew by 29 percent between 2009–13 and 2014–18, and the US share of total global exports rose from 30 percent to 36 percent.
The gap between the top two arms-exporting states also increased. US exports of major arms were 75 percent higher than Russia’s in 2014–18, while they were only 12 percent higher in 2009–13. More than half (52 percent) of US arms exports went to the Middle East in 2014–18.
‘Weapons from the USA, the United Kingdom and France are in high demand in the Gulf region, where conflicts and tensions are rife,’ says Pieter D. Wezeman, Senior Researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.