The arms market knows no crisis with the United States confirming their excessive power in the foreign sale of military systems with contracts signed in the 2014 for a value of 36,2 billion dollars. These figures confirm an increase compared to the previous year, when the US collected billions of dollars from the foreign commissions 26,7. The new contracts signed with Qatar, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, decree the US as the largest arms supplier in the world.
This is what emerges from the annual report of the Congressional Research Service, a division of the Library of Congress, delivered to the United States Congress. The report is considered the most detailed of those available to the public. The data also takes into account inflation from previous years.
Finally, it should be noted that the document analyzes the contracts signed with the countries considered to be developing. Deliveries of conventional weapons to developing nations, from 2011 to 2013, represent the 62% of all international military supplies. In 2014, deliveries of weapons to developing countries constituted the 44% of the value of all arms supplies in the world. The United States has signed contracts with developing countries worth 29,8 billion dollars on the 36,2 billion dollars resulting from international sales.
After the United States, which controls the 50 per cent of the market, there is Russia with military supplies equal to 10,2 billion dollars in the 2014 in developing countries. There is a small decline compared to the 2013, when Moscow collected from the same market 10,3 billion dollars.
Sweden sold weapons for 5,5 billion dollars followed by France with 4,4 billion dollars and China with 2,2 billion dollars. Italy, in the 2014, has signed contracts for the supply of arms to the developing countries for a value of 800 million dollars. Italian international sales in the 2014 total 1,3 billion dollars. The four largest European arms manufacturers, France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy, in the 2014 saw a worrying decline in arms supplies abroad.
“The European group records a significant decrease in the collective share of all the agreements signed with the developing countries between the 2013 and the 2014. The group quota fell from 25,4% in 2013 to 9,5% in 2014. The collective value of all agreements with developing nations in the 2014 was 5,9 billion dollars compared to the 13,8 billion dollars of the 2013. Major Western European suppliers have individually improved their competitive position in arms exports through strong government marketing support for arms sales abroad. The continued demand for American weapons in the global arms market has created a difficult environment for individual Western European suppliers. However, the data indicate that France, Great Britain, Germany and Italy continue to sign significant contracts with developing countries ”.
Britain has sold weapons to developing countries worth a total of 200 million dollars. Germani in the 2014 has signed contracts for 900 million dollars, 600 of which with developing countries. 1,2 billions of dollars, on the other hand, the supplies commissioned to the Spanish from developing countries. Overall, for the contracts signed in the 2014, Italy ranks sixth in the world in the international sale of arms.
South Korea, a key US ally, was the best buyer (among developing countries) of weapons in the world in the 2014, with contracts signed worth 7,8 billion dollars (over seven billion were invested in the US defense industries). Iraq, the second largest buyer in the world among developing countries, has bought arms for 7,3 billions of dollars (spending for the reconstruction of the new government's army). Brazil follows for acquisitions equal to 6,5 billion dollars spent in the 2014. Among the developing countries also Saudi Arabia (4,1 billion dollars), Qatar (2,7), Algeria (2,6) and Egypt (2,3).
"Total sales worldwide increased slightly from 71,8 billion in 2014 to 70,1 billion in 2013. The international arms market is not to be considered growing due to the weakening global economy, but has stabilized after several years of extreme fluctuation. The lack of market expansion has led to increased competition among suppliers. A number of countries are focusing not only on customers with whom they have undertaken historical relationships thanks to consolidated military relations, but also on potential new countries. Despite the competition, the United States remains the main supplier of weapons on the planet. A position, difficult to attack at least for the next five years ".
(Photo: Online Defense)
