10 Countries That Export the Most Weapons

As unfortunate as it may be, war is big money. And it’s because of that uncomfortable fact, at least in part, that the world’s powers seem locked in a state of perpetual aggression, constantly squabbling over resources, strategic geography, and all manner of other things. This, naturally, means that soldiers need to be outfitted, air forces need aircraft, and that navies need warships — basically a heaping pile of demand just waiting to be supplied.

Enter the world’s defense companies, war contractors, and arms manufacturers.

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Most Americans are familiar with big names like Boeing or Lockheed Martin, both very successful businesses that owe a portion of their success to the Department of Defense’s constant thirst for newer, more powerful weaponry. The truth is, as defense budgets have grown increasingly swollen over the years, so has the market for arms manufacturing, and thus, arms exports. That means that guns, ammunition, vehicles, missiles, and many other pieces of equipment are consistently changing hands on an international scale, finding their way to those who are willing to get the most bang for their buck, in a literal sense.
As we’ve plowed into the 21st century, worldwide conflicts continue to rage on. As a result, so does the arms trade. A recent study from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which looked into trends in international arms transfers, has shown that while growing economies like China are starting to play an important role in the overall scheme of things, it’s still countries like the U.S. and Russia that are flooding the international market with weaponry.
That’s in spite of a growing and concerted call for peace, and putting an end to America’s often-hostile foreign policy approach.
Digging into the numbers from SIPRI, the U.S. and Russia combined, account for more than half of all the world’s weapons exports. According to SIPRI’s calculations, the United States alone accounts for 31% of the world’s arms exports, and Russia accounts for 27%. Behind those two front-runners, China, Germany, and France all come in at 5%. Clearly, there’s quite the rift.

As unfortunate as it may be, war is big money. And it’s because of that uncomfortable fact, at least in part, that the world’s powers seem locked in a state of perpetual aggression, constantly squabbling over resources, strategic geography, and all manner of other things. This, naturally, means that soldiers need to be outfitted, air forces need aircraft, and that navies need warships — basically a heaping pile of demand just waiting to be supplied.

Enter the world’s defense companies, war contractors, and arms manufacturers.

ADVERTISING

Most Americans are familiar with big names like Boeing or Lockheed Martin, both very successful businesses that owe a portion of their success to the Department of Defense’s constant thirst for newer, more powerful weaponry. The truth is, as defense budgets have grown increasingly swollen over the years, so has the market for arms manufacturing, and thus, arms exports. That means that guns, ammunition, vehicles, missiles, and many other pieces of equipment are consistently changing hands on an international scale, finding their way to those who are willing to get the most bang for their buck, in a literal sense.



As we’ve plowed into the 21st century, worldwide conflicts continue to rage on. As a result, so does the arms trade. A recent study from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), which looked into trends in international arms transfers, has shown that while growing economies like China are starting to play an important role in the overall scheme of things, it’s still countries like the U.S. and Russia that are flooding the international market with weaponry.
That’s in spite of a growing and concerted call for peace, and putting an end to America’s often-hostile foreign policy approach.
Digging into the numbers from SIPRI, the U.S. and Russia combined, account for more than half of all the world’s weapons exports. According to SIPRI’s calculations, the United States alone accounts for 31% of the world’s arms exports, and Russia accounts for 27%. Behind those two front-runners, China, Germany, and France all come in at 5%. Clearly, there’s quite the rift.

1. United States: 31%
2. Russia: 27%
3. China: 5%
4. Germany: 5%
5. France: 5%
6. U.K.: 4%
7. Spain: 3%
8. Italy: 3%
9. Ukraine: 3%
10. Israel: 2%