The Ten Largest Arms Exporters in the World

US Army Spc. Lee T. Williams, a supply specialist for the 730th Quarter Master Company out of Johnson City, Tenn., fires a Degtyarov-Shpagin Kruphokaliberny a Russian/Soviet 12.7 mm heavy machine gun at the firing range at Babadag Training Area, Romania, Aug. 13, 2009. Credit: DAVIDSHUB via Flickr

Security is a massive industry and there are some nations that profit immensely from it. Global Conflict Analysis presents a list of the Ten Largest Arms Exporters in the World.

The units used in this list are so-called trend indicator values expressed in millions of US dollars at 1990s prices. These values do not represent real financial flows but are a crude instrument to estimate volumes of arms transfers, regardless of the contracted prices, which can be as low as zero in the case of military aid. Ordered by descending 2000-2012 values. The information is from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

 Israel

Israel Defense Forces (IDF) tanks in Staging Areas Around Gaza Strip November 17, 2012. Credit: Israel Defense Forces via Flickr

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	407	436	368	628	368	299	438	281	807	472	531

 No. 9 ITALY

An Italian air force AMX Fighter aircraft lands at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., following a Red Flag 09-5 training mission Aug. 26, 2009. Credit: Michael R. Holzwort, U.S. Air Force via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	216	426	341	212	774	502	684	417	514	627	1046

Number 8: Sweden

A Swedish leopard 2 tank (Strv 122) on exercises, taken in Sweden, February 16th 2006. Credit: Tommke via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	880	191	526	314	538	432	366	454	383	806	686

Number 7: Netherlands

 

Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon. Credit: US Air Force via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	203	239	342	209	583	1187	1326	530	545	503	538

Number 6: United Kingdom

Westland Apache WAH-64D Longbow helicopter (UK Army registration ZJ206) displays at Kemble Air Day 2008, Kemble Airport, Gloucestershire, England. Credit: Adrian Pingstone via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	1368	1068	741	1316	1039	855	1018	982	1022	1054	1070

Number 5: China

Chinese Kilo-Class Submarine. Credit: Took-Ranch via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	499	509	665	292	303	597	430	586	1000	1423	1830	2100

Number 4: France

French Armed Forces AMX 56 Leclerc Tank. Credit: Daniel Steger via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	1297	1368	1345	2219	1724	1643	2432	1994	1865	1834	2437

Number 3: Germany

German Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29. Credit: German Armed Forces via Flickr

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	850	916	1713	1105	2080	2567	3194	2500	2432	2340	1206

Number 2: Russia

Russian T-90A Tank. Credit: Vitaly V. Kuzmin via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	2012
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	5896	5705	5236	6178	5134	5095	5426	5953	5575	6039	7676	7967

Number 1: United States

F/A-18 Super Hornets assigned to the Black Aces of Strike Fighter Squadron Forty One (VFA-41) fly over the Western Pacific Ocean. Credit: US Navy via Wikimedia Commons

Year	2001	2002	2003	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011
Amount of Exports (Millions of USD)	5908	5229	5698	6866	6700	7453	8003	6288	6658	8641	9984

http://globalconflictanalysis.com/2013/04/number-1-united-states/