Research group: US and Western Europe dominate global arms sales

Feb 20, 2011, 23:07 GMT

Stockholm - Arms producers in the United States and Western Europe dominated global weapons sales in 2009, valued at 401 billion dollars, a Swedish-based research institute said Monday.

Of the top 100 arms makers, 45 were based in the US and 33 in Western Europe. They accounted for over 90 per cent of global arms sales, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said.

Despite the global recession in 2009, arms spending increased 8 per cent in real terms on the preceding year, SIPRI said.

Lockheed Martin of the US narrowly edged BAE Systems of Britain for the top spot, shadowed by Boeing of the US in third place. The top-trio each accounted for some 8 per cent of global arms sales in 2009, the last year covered by SIPRI.

'US government spending on military goods and services is a key factor in arms sales increases for US arms-producing and military services companies and for Western European companies with a foothold in the US arms and military services market,' SIPRI arms industry expert Susan Jackson said.

SIPRI said that 10 of the world's 100 largest arms makers were based in Asia. Four were in Japan, three in India, two in South Korea and one in Singapore.

No arms makers based in Latin America or Africa were ranked among the top 100, the think tank said.

SIPRI was created in 1966 by the Swedish parliament. The institute tracks military spending and conflicts, and publishes a yearbook with data.

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