US Military Exports Skyrocketing as Washington Continues to Fuel Global Conflicts
© US Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jonathan Price
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The US' arms exports have risen dramatically since 2022 and may top $100 billion by the year's end, according to the Pentagon.
In fiscal year (FY) 2022, sales through the US government's Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system jumped to $49.7 billion from $34.8 billion in FY2021; in FY2023, this number rose again to around $66.2 billion.
So far, FMS sales are already above $80 billion for FY2024, as per the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.
Still, the total value of transferred weapons, services and security cooperation activities conducted under the Foreign Military Sales system in FY2023 was $80.9 billion, representing a 55.9% increase from a total of $51.9 billion in FY2022.
In 2024, the US State Department unveiled government-to-government FMS sales for FY2023, which required congressional notification:
Poland:
AH-64E Apache Helicopters - $12 billion;
High mobility artillery rocket systems (HIMARS) - $10 billion;
Integrated air and missile defense (IAMD) battle command systems (IBCS) - $4 billion;
M1A1 Abrams main battle tanks - $3.75 billion.
9 August 2024, 15:06 GMT
Germany:
CH-47F Chinook helicopters - $8.5 billion;
AIM-120C-8 advanced medium-range air-to-air missiles (AMRAAM) - $2.9 billion.
Norway:
Defense articles and services related to the MH-60R multi-mission helicopters - $1 billion.
Czech Republic:
F-35 aircraft and munitions - $5.62 billion.
Bulgaria:
Stryker vehicles - $1.5 billion.
Australia:
C-130J-30 aircraft - $6.35 billion.
Canada:
P-8A aircraft - $5.9 billion.
South Korea:
F-35 aircraft - $5.06 billion;
CH-47F Chinook helicopters - $1.5 billion.
31 July 2024, 12:58 GMT
Japan:
E-2D advanced Hawkeye (AHE) airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft - $1.381 billion.
Kuwait:
National advanced surface-to-air missile system (NASAMS) medium range air defense systems (MRADS) - $3 billion;
Follow-up technical support - $1.8 billion.
Qatar:
Fixed site-low, slow, small unmanned aircraft system integrated defeat system (FS-LIDS) - $1 billion.
27 April 2024, 15:02 GMT
In addition to that, direct commercial sales (DCS) between foreign nations and US defense contractors jumped from $153.6 billion in FY2022 to $157.5 billion for FY2023. These sales included unspecified military hardware, services and technical data.
The US State Department provided a glimpse on what major DCS Congressional Notifications included in FY2023:
Italy – For the manufacturing of F-35 wing assemblies and sub-assemblies - $2.8 billion;
India – For the manufacturing of GE F414-INS6 engine hardware - $1.8 billion;
Singapore – F100 propulsion system and spare parts - $1.2 billion;
South Korea – F100 propulsion system and spare parts - $1.2 billion;
Norway, Ukraine – National advanced surface to air missile systems (NASAMS) - $1.2 billion;
Saudi Arabia – Patriot guided missile - $1 billion.
9 August 2024, 18:18 GMT
Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) highlights that arms exports by the US rose by 17% between 2014–18 and 2019–23. The US share of total global arms exports increased from 34% to 42%. Between 2019 and 2023, the US delivered major arms to 107 states, which was more than the next two biggest exporters combined, as per SIPRI.
The largest share of US arms went to the Middle East (38%), mostly to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Israel.
US arms exports to states in Asia and Oceania increased by 14% between 2014–18 and 2019–23; 31% of all US arms exports in 2019–23 went to the region with Japan, South Korea and Australia being the largest buyers.
Europe purchased a total of 28% of US arms exports in 2019–23. US arms exports to the region increased by over 200% between the 2014–18 and 2019–23 periods. Ukraine accounted for 4.7% of all US arms exports and 17% of those to Europe.
The institute projects that the US will continue to ramp up military sales in 2024 and beyond, with the focus on combat aircraft, tanks and other armored vehicles, artillery, SAM systems and warships.
9 August 2024, 14:16 GMT
