Global Defense Orders Are Soaring

Zero Hedge: World On Fire Sends Global Defense Orders Soaring 

The world now teeters dangerously close to a major military conflict. This brewing storm of global unrest in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and the South China Sea signals a chilling reminder of the world on fire. 

The shift towards a multipolar world has led to a surge in military spending by countries. New data from the Financial Times reveals that the world's top defense firms have been bombarded with orders from tanks to fighter jets to missiles. 

Britain's BAE Systems, South Korea's Hanwha Aerospace, and the United State's Lockheed Martin, along with twelve other defense firms, were found to have combined order backlogs of $777.6 billion at the end of 2022, up from $701.2 billion two years earlier - or about a 10% increase.  

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Update: Global defense orders surge amid escalating geopolitical tensions (Voice of Europe)  

WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction. 2024 is going to be a banner year for these defense firms.

These Are The Weapons That The World's Weapons Markets Will Want After The War

Kozak-2 armoured personnel carrier 

Ukrayinska Pravda: What Ukrainian weapons will conquer the world’s weapons markets after the war 

The demand for Ukrainian combat-tested military equipment may increase globally. What are the most promising projects for export after the war? 

Ukraine has often been compared to Israel, since both countries have been at war for many years. When it comes to Israeli weapons, everyone understands that they are made to fight opposing forces, not for parades or tank biathlons. Ukrainian military technology, hardened over the years in the war against the Russians, may now enjoy the same reputation. 

Ukrainian private and state-owned companies have a unique opportunity to test their equipment in real-world combat and are using this experience to modernise it further. This is something that even leading Western manufacturers lack. 

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WNU Editor: This is a drone and artillery war, where soldiers will also need to have vehicles that can survive a mine explosion. And these are the weapons that will be in the demand when this conflict is finally over.

South Korea Aims To Be Major Global Arms Seller

 

Reuters: S. Korea aims to become world's largest arms dealer 

South Korea is racing to become a major player in the world’s market for weapons, eager to tap into Europe’s hunger for arms. 

At this factory on its southern coast, automated robots and workers are churning out artillery vehicles destined for Poland. 

It's all run by Hanwha Aerospace, already the globe’s top maker of howitzers. 

The company is a big part of the $14 billion-dollar arms deal that the South Korean government struck with Poland last year - as Western countries scrambled to arm Ukraine and tensions spike in areas from North Korea to the South China Sea. 

Reuters spoke to more than a dozen executives and officials who say the deal will pave the way for Seoul’s ambitions to be a world-class weapons supplier.  

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Update #1: Inside South Korea's race to become one of the world’s biggest arms dealers (Reuters) Update #2: Rise of South Korean arms exports (Van Ybiernas, Manilla times)  

WNU Editor: South Korea has the manpower, resources, and infrastructure to become a major global dealer in arms. And they are making it known that they can sell their weapons cheaper.

U.S. And European Arms Exports Are Skyrocketing

FILE PHOTO: Patriot air defence system with a view of Warsaw skyscrapers in the background is seen during Polish military training on the missile systems at the airport in Warsaw, Poland February 7, 2023. REUTERS/Kacper Pempel/File Photo 

DW: SIPRI: US arms exports skyrocket, while China's nosedive 

The invasion of Ukraine has benefited the US and led to a major increase in arms imports to Europe. In other parts of the world, however, the movement of weapons between nations is declining. 

While the rest of the world is slowly disarming, Europe is quickly doing the opposite, according to the latest report from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). The institute examines and compares the global arms trade in four-year periods, the better to reflect overall trends than looking at the weapons business over only twelve months. 

Among the two most important trends in the most recent report, SIPRI researcher Pieter Wezeman told DW, are that arms transfers to European states have significantly increased" and that "the role of the US as an arms supplier in the world has increased significantly, too."  

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More News On The Latest SIPRI Report 

European Arms Imports Climb, U.S. Dominance in Exports Grows - Think Tank -- Reuters 

France challenging Russia as second biggest arms exporter behind US -- The Guardian  

Fuelled by Ukraine, European arms imports double in 2022 -- RFI  

Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Egypt rank in top 10 largest arms importers over past 5 years -- Al Arabiya  

Russia's Global Arms Exports Suffer As War Takes Toll; Ukraine’s Imports Surge, Says New Report -- RFE

Russia's Arms Export Industry Is Collapsing -- Newsweek

Global Military Buyers Flooded Las Vegas Arms Expo Last Week

Zero Hedge: Global Military Buyers Flooded Vegas Arms Expo, Spurred By World War III Threats 

Last week, military buyers from Europe and Asia flooded the Venetian Expo and Caesars Forum in Las Vegas for the world's largest firearms trade show of its kind. 

The Washington Times said Poland, Romania, and the Baltic States sent defense buyers to SHOT Show, where more than 2,500 exhibitors showed off new weaponry, drones, robots, and other high-tech devices for war. 

Taiwan, Japan, the Philippines, and other Asian states also sent military buyers. The Times even said visitors from China and North Korea were present at the closed-door event.  

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WNU Editor: Business is good. For more details on what was shown at this "closed event", you can check out their blog (link here).

These Are The World's Largest Arms-Producing Companies

Zero Hedge: These Are The World's Largest Arms-Producing Companies 

For the first time in over 30 years, and in a tightly-controlled presentation, the United States unveiled a new strategic bomber on Friday. 

The nuclear-capable B-21 Raider is expected to enter service in 2027 and is seen as a major part of the States' response to military buildup by China. The estimated cost was also revealed: The plane's manufacturer, Northrop Grumman, can expect $700m per aircraft.  

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WNU Editor: Chinese companies now holds the #5 and #6 spot.

Eastern And Central Europe's Arms Industry Is Producing Arms At A Pace Not Seen Since The Cold War

Euronews/Reuters: Ukraine war: Arms made at pace ‘highest since Cold War’ as Europe’s east aids Kyiv 

Eastern and Central Europe's arms industry is churning out guns, ammunition, and other military supplies at a pace not seen since the Cold War as governments aim to aid Ukraine in its fight against Russia. 

Allies have been supplying Kyiv with weapons and military equipment since Moscow went on a full-scale invasion of its western neighbour on 24 February, depleting their inventories along the way. 

 The US and the UK committed the most direct military aid to Ukraine until early October, a Kiel Institute for the World Economy tracker shows.  But the likes of Poland and the Czech Republic are not too far behind, in third and ninth place, respectively.  

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WNU Editor: Here is an easy prediction. As much as 2022 was a record for Europe's arms industry, 2023 is going to blow-away 2022.

South Korea Has Become One Of The World's Biggest Weapons Suppliers

ThemaNews: South Korea has quietly become one of the world’s biggest weapons suppliers 

South Korea has quietly become a favorite of arms buyers around the world, in the culmination of a decades-long effort to protect itself from North Korea 

The international arms trade has largely flowed West to East, with North American and European countries accounting for a whopping 87% of weapons exports from 2017 to 2021. 

This year South Korea has shown it’s ready to change that. Poland agreed this summer to purchase tanks, self-propelled howitzers and light attack planes from South Korea in deals worth $8.8 billion. 

The two countries topped it off last week with a $3.6 billion agreement for rocket launchers. It’s the first time that a NATO member other than Turkey has turned to defense contractors outside the alliance for major weapons systems.  

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Update #1: US worried South Korea would become EU's substitute weapons supplier (Al Mayadeen)  

Update #2: South Korea delivers a multibillion jolt to the American Military-Industrial Complex (TFI Global)  

WNU Editor: The South Korean President made it very clear a few months ago that he wants South Korea to be one of world’s top weapons suppliers .... President Yoon wants South Korea to become one of world’s top weapons suppliers (CNN).

The Pentagon And US Arms Manufacturers Are Expecting A Surge In Demand For Weapons From U.S. Allies

The Pentagon is seen from the air in Washington, U.S., March 3, 2022, more than a week after Russia invaded Ukraine. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts  

Reuters: Pentagon, U.S. arms makers to talk Russia, labor and supply chain 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Pentagon leaders plan to meet with defense industry executives next week to discuss ways to tackle supply-chain problems, a U.S. official told Reuters, amid an expected surge in demand for weapons from U.S. allies due to Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. 

Deputy Secretary of Defense Kath Hicks will host a classified meeting with top U.S. defense contractors to discuss the National Defense Strategy, securing supply chains and shoring up the defense industrial base, including workforce challenges, spokesperson Eric Pahon told Reuters earlier this week. 

Concern among Pentagon officials is growing that top U.S. defense suppliers will struggle with a surge in orders for weapons from European nations like Germany and Poland, amid growing fears of Russian President Vladimir Putin's ambitions in the region.  

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WNU Editor: I concur with the above analysis. Arms manufacturers are going to be busy for years..

War In Ukraine Shakes Up The Global Weapons Industry

Ukrainian soldiers fire a Javelin anti-tank missile. The weapon is one of several that have gained a high profile during the war (Photo: Ukraine Defence Ministry/AP)  

iNews: War in Ukraine shakes up weapons industry with new trends and unlikely winners 

The war in Ukraine has supplied a lucrative shop window for arms manufacturers, creating some unlikely winners amid a surge in demand for heavy weaponry. 

Weapons such as Javelin anti-tank missiles, Bayraktar drones, and the Himars rocket launcher have achieved global renown, promoted in memes, songs, and enthusiastic endorsements from Ukrainian officials. 

The major US manufacturers such as Lockheed Martin and Raytheon enjoyed share price surges after the outbreak of war, as did European counterparts BAE Systems and Rheinmetall. But they are very far from the only game in town.  

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WNU Editor: The expectation among the arms industry is that the Russia - Ukraine war is going to last a long time .... Defense Industry Prepares for the Long Haul in Ukraine (National Interest).

It Is Now Official. The US State Department Has Stopped Publishing Its Annual Military Expenditures, Arms Transfer Report

US stops reporting World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers report, buried in Defense Authorization Act...the question is, why?  

Antiwar.com: State Department Stops Publishing Military Expenditures, Arms Transfer Report 

The report has been published since the 1960s  

The State Department announced in August that it will no longer publish World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers (WMEAT) reports, which have been released by the US government since the 1960s. 

The WMEATs detail US global military spending, arms transfers, and related data for each country in the world. 

The 2022 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) included an amendment that repealed a 1994 provision requiring the State Department to publish a WMEAT each year.  

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WNU Editor: So much for the White House saying that they are a transparent administration (link here).

 All previous Military Expenditures, Arms Transfer Reports are archived here (link here).

Who Is Still Exporting Arms to Saudi Arabia?

Saudi-backed troops in Yemen rebel a Houthi rebel offensive on the oil-rich city of Marib, on February 14, 2021 (AFP/File photo) 

Middle East Eye: Saudi Arabia arms sales: Which countries are still exporting? 

Following US pause on weapons deals to Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, MEE looks at how other major military exporters have responded 

Three weeks ago, the United States issued a temporary freeze on pending arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as part of an effort to end the civil war in Yemen.

In one of its first major foreign policy announcements, the new US administration of President Joe Biden paused the implementation of recent Trump-era weapons deals, including the sale of munitions to Saudi Arabia and F-35 fighter jets to the UAE. 

A Saudi-led coalition intervened in Yemen’s civil war in March 2015, and have since carried out more than 20,000 air strikes in an effort to roll back the Houthi rebels, who seized the capital Sanaa in late 2014. One-third of those strikes have been on non-military sites, including schools, factories and hospitals, according to the Yemen Data Project. 

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WNU editor: There will always be countries willing to sell arms to someone who can pay. I know Russia would love to sell arms to Saudi Arabia .... Should Saudi Arabia Buy Russian Weapons? (October 13, 2019)

China Surpasses Russia As The World's No. 2 Arms Producer Between 2015 And 2019

The EurAsian Times: China’s Growing Global Stature As Weapons Producer Threatens Russia’s Export Revenues 

China overtook Russia to become the world’s No. 2 arms producer between 2015 and 2019, according to data released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) last month. The US continues to be in Number 1 position. 

Four Chinese defense companies featured among the top 25 arms manufacturers in 2019. Of these, three companies featured in the top 10 positions, accounting for 16% of overall arms sales, with profits surpassing $56.7 billion. 

Only two Russian defense companies could make it to the top 25, accounting for below 4% of the total, earning only $13.9 billion. 

The four Chinese arms manufacturers which figured in the list included the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (6th), China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (8th), and China North Industries Group Corporation (9th). 

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WNU Editor: The Chinese are still far away from catching up to the U.S..

How U.S. Defense Contractors Make Billions Off Missile Sales (Video)

 

WNU Editor: Missiles are the future when it comes to warfare. From CNBC .... Missile sales are the number two defense export in the U.S. and production is dominated by a handful of companies such as Raytheon, Boeing and Lockheed Martin. As technology advances, will expensive missiles and hypersonic glide weapons dominate the market, or could start-ups and cheaper technology change the missile economy?

German And French Arms Producers Want To Reduce Us Of US Technologies In Military Production

FILE PHOTO: Two German Eurofighter jets © Reuters / Sabine Siebold

RT: German & French arms producers want to reduce use of US technologies in military production – report

France and Germany want to cut their technological dependence on the US – a NATO ally – and rely more on their own products when it comes to manufacturing military equipment, according to German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.

Military producers in Germany and France are reportedly attempting to phase out US technologies in helicopter construction, making a new assault rifle for the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), as well as a new fighter jet developed under the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) program, led by the two nations’ planemakers.

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WNU Editor: This is an extension from an earlier agreement between France and Germany when it comes to arms exports .... France and Germany sign deals on space and arms exports (Reuters).

Top 20 World's Arms Sellers

AFP graphic on the top 20 world's arms sellers, based on an analysis by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute pic.twitter.com/T05tnxKgpn

— AFP news agency (@AFP) January 27, 2020

WNU Editor: If trends are any prediction, it will only be a matter of time before a Chinese arms company breaks into the top five .... China is now world's 2nd-biggest weapons producer — SIPRI report (DW).

SIPRI: China Is The World’s Second-Biggest Arms Producer

A military vehicle carrying a WZ-8 supersonic reconnaissance drone travels past Tiananmen Square during military parade marking the 70th founding anniversary of People's Republic of China, on its National Day in Beijing, China October 1, 2019. REUTERS/Jason Lee/File Photo

Reuters: China has world's second-largest arms industry, think tank estimates

STOCKHOLM (Reuters) - Newly available data suggests that China is the world’s second-biggest arms producer, behind the United States and ahead of Russia, a leading conflict and armaments think-tank said on Monday.

A lack of transparency means the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute has excluded China from its annual global rankings of arms makers, but it said credible financial information had become available for four major companies.

The data, covering the period from 2015 to 2017, allowed it to compile what it called the most comprehensive picture of Chinese companies’ weapons production to date.

“With the increase of available data on these companies, it is now possible to develop reasonably reliable estimates of the scale of the Chinese arms industry,” the institute said.

The four companies had combined estimated arms sales of $54.1 billion for 2017, it said, which would put them among the top 20 arms producers in the world.

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WNU Editor:  China's growth in arms sales is a trend that shows no signs of slowing down.

China Tightens Control Over Its Growing Arms Trade

China has become one of the world’s biggest suppliers of weapons. Photo: Xinhua

SCMP: China targets tighter controls on its growing arms trade

* Beijing’s weapons business is expanding but export regulations are fragmented, the country’s commerce minister says
* Legislation would shed light on an opaque system and bring it into line with international standards, according to analysts

China is set to introduce legislation to tighten control over the country’s opaque sales of arms and nuclear technology, as it becomes a bigger player in the global weapons trade.

China’s top legislative body, the National People’s Congress, is considering a draft law that would specify restricted goods, technology and services, including dual-use nuclear products.

Commerce Minister Zhong Shan said the legislation was needed to consolidate the country’s fragmented export controls.

“The scope of the restricted items, and the controls on them are not completely in line with those of other countries, and are outdated,” Zhong said.

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WNU Editor:  The Chinese are at least admitting that their arms trade is out of control.

These Are The 25 Largest Arms Manufacturers In The World

Lieutenant Colonel Jeannie Leavitt, 333rd Fighter Squadron commander, flies her F-15 fighter aircraft over the Grand Canyon en route to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in this February 7, 2008 U.S. Air Force handout photo. Reuters/U.S. Air Force/Staff Sgt. Darin Moulton/Handout

Business Insider: From Lockheed Martin to Airbus: These are the 25 largest arms manufacturers in the world

* These companies are in the business of making weapons. Not just pistols and rifles, but also tanks, jets, and rockets.
* As wars continue and more people are feeling insecure around the world, business is flourishing.
* The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (Sipri) looked into which arms companies were making the most money.
* These are the top 25 arms manufacturers around the world, according to 2017 data.

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WNU Editor: The top three companies are American.

How Did An Air-To-Air Missile That France Sold To Qatar End Up In Italy?

Warzone/The Drive: Italian Cops Raid Neo-Fascists And Find Air-To-Air Missile That France Had Sold To Qatar

The operation targeted individuals over links to the conflict in Ukraine and also netted various guns and Nazi memorabilia.

Italian police have seized a French-made Matra Super 530F air-to-air missile in the course of raids to arrest multiple individuals allegedly linked to far-right extremist groups who had provided aid to groups fighting Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine. Authorities also uncovered a large cache of automatic rifles, submachine guns, and other small arms, as well as Nazi paraphernalia, during one of the arrests involving an individual linked to Italy's neo-fascist Forza Nuova political party.

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WNU Editor: This story follows on the heels of another story involving French military hardware/missiles showing up in an unexpected place .... Missiles found on pro-Haftar base in Libya belonged to France (Al Jazeera).