Weapons sale to foreign nations from USA hit a record high of $ 238 billion in 2023 driven by continued invasion of Ukraine by Russia
The United States (U.S.) weapons sales to foreign nations hit a record high of U.S. $ 238 billion (£1 87 billion) in the year 2023, majorly driven by the continued invasion of Ukraine by Russia
Of this, the U.S. Government directly negotiated U.S. $ 81 billion in sales, a 56% increase from 2022. The remaining were sold directly by the U.S. defence companies to foreign nations.
Ukraine’s neighbour Poland, which is eyeing to expand its military, made some of the biggest purchases. Poland bought Apache helicopters for U.S. $ 12 billion, paid U.S. $ 10 billion for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) and U.S. $ 3.75 billion for M1A1 Abrams tanks. It also spent U.S. $ 4 billion on Integrated Air and Missile Defence Battle Command Systems.
The Prime Minister of Poland – Donald Tusk has vowed to continue the previous conservative Government’s military modernisation programme, which aimed to make Poland “the most powerful land force in Europe”.
Meanwhile, Germany spent U.S. $ 8.5 billion on Chinook helicopters. Bulgaria paid U.S. $ 1.5 billion for Stryker armoured vehicles and Norway bought U.S. $ 1 billion worth of multi-mission helicopters. The Czech Republic also bought $U.S. 6 billion in F-35 jets and munitions.
Outside of Europe, the weapons report showed that South Korea paid the U.S. $ 5 billion for F-35 jets, and Australia spent U.S. $ 6.3 billion on C130J-30 Super Hercules planes. Japan reached a U.S. $ 1 billion deal for an E-2D Hawkeye surveillance plane.
The U.S. Department of State said in its Annual Memo, “Arms transfers and defence trade are important US foreign policy tools with potential long-term implications for regional and global security.”
Sales were also boosted by countries turning away from Russia, which has been the second-largest seller of weapons after the U.S. for decades.
The Deputy Assistant Secretary for the Regional Security Bureau of Political-Military Affairs – Mira Resnick, said, “The Russian defence industry is failing and continues to fail. The Russian weapons manufacturers are being denied the resources that come from exports.”
Besides, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) – Jens Stoltenberg, will visit a Lockheed Martin missile facility in Alabama, U.S., to underscore the importance of the U.S. defence industry to the alliance.
Separately, citing these high volumes of weapon sales abroad, U.S. President – Joe Biden’s Administration has argued that American support to Ukraine boosts the domestic economy through arms sales. Hence, the U.S. Congress should approve further funds for supporting Ukraine.
Earlier in December 2023, the U.S. announced a U.S. $ 250 million military aid package for Ukraine, which was the last such package from the U.S. until Congress approves the funding request worth more than U.S. $ 60 billion.
