Israel’s three defense giants lead the world in the arms industry

International arms transfers are going strong in the Middle East, even though they are declining in other regions, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, a group that monitors arms transfers. SIPRI says that its arms transfer database is the only public resource that provides consistent information, often estimates, on all international transfers of major weapons. “Significant increases in transfers by three of the top five arms exporters – the US, France and Germany – are largely offset by declining Russian and Chinese arms exports,” the group said on Monday. Imports of arms into the Middle East grew by 25%. Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt have been leaders for the past four years, with Doha increasing its purchases by as much as 361%. Between 2016 and 2020, Israeli exports represent 3% of world total. Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, are world leaders in the industry. Israel’s exports have been 59% higher over the past five years than in the period between 2011-2015. This is big news for the defense giants. Israel’s IAI, for example, is taking advantage of new interest in looting ammunition. Elbit Systems is taking on contracts in Europe and Rafael’s Iron Dome and Trophy is gaining new recognition. Iron Dome was shipped to the USA and Trophy is now used by Germany. Both systems are celebrating ten years in Israel this year. In addition, Israeli companies have made major invaders in India and other countries. SIPRI says that ‘Israel accounted for 69% of Azerbaijan’s arms imports’ in the most recent period. Azerbaijan recently waged a war with Armenia. Israeli Uvda program and documentary filmmaker Itai Anghel shows how Israeli drones played an important and controversial role in the conflict. The Jewish state reportedly exported hundreds of drones to Azerbaijan along with other defense systems.

“It is still too early to say whether the period of rapid growth in arms transfers over the past two decades has passed,” said Pieter D. Wezeman, senior researcher at the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Program. Under Western powers, exports rose while exports from Russia and China fell. Exports by China, the world’s fifth largest arms exporter from 2016–2020, decreased by 7.8% between 2011–15 and 2016–2020, according to the report. The Middle East is where all the weapons appear to be According to the report, the UAE is looking for 50 F-35 fifth generation aircraft. “Egypt’s arms imports increased by 136% between 2011–15 and 2016–2020. Egypt, which is involved in disputes with Turkey over hydrocarbon resources in the eastern Mediterranean, has invested heavily in its naval forces, “Turkey’s arms imports fell 59% between 2011–15 and 2016–20. This is big news because Turkey is now rapidly building indigenous capacity to build drones and other weapons. The Middle East is buying up weapons because of tensions between Iran and the region, ongoing wars in Syria, Libya, Yemen and elsewhere, and because many countries here are making new weapons systems such as drones groundbreaking, which means others need better air defense. Israel’s IAI and UAE’s Edge, for example, recently signed an MOU on combating UAV threats. Iran used drones to attack Saudi Arabia in 2019, and Iranian-backed groups in Yemen say the Houthis use weekly drones and missiles against Saudi Arabia. Israel is also building up its navy with new Sa’ar 6 ships, and it appears that all the other navies in the region are also expanding their systems. The Middle East, which has long been a testing ground for American and Soviet weapons, now manufactures its own weapons and buys weapons from new suppliers. American fifth-generation aircraft such as the F-35 are very popular, as are Russia’s S-400 and Israeli systems such as the Iron Dome.