U.S. Arms Sales Agreements Worldwide, 1999-2006
by Travis Sharp [contact information]
Updated March 4, 2008
See our Jan-Feb 2008 report, op-ed, and press release on the U.S. sale of controversial JDAM technology to Saudi Arabia.
Check out our analysis of U.S. arms sales agreements with the Middle East.
The United States is far and away the leader in worldwide arms sales agreements. Consider the following:
- From 1999 to 2006, the United States averaged $15.44 billion per year in worldwide arms sales agreements. That is more than twice the annual average of Russia, the next highest supplier.
- From 1999 to 2006, the total value of all U.S. arms sales agreements worldwide was slightly less than the next five highest suppliers combined (Russia, France, United Kingdom, Germany, China).
- From 1999 to 2006, the total value of all U.S. arms sales agreements worldwide was 11 times greater than China's, a country often mentioned as an emerging "peer competitor" or "strategic opponent" to the United States.
WORLDWIDE ARMS SALES AGREEMENTS BY SUPPLIER
(in billions of constant 2006 U.S. dollars)
(in billions of constant 2006 U.S. dollars)
| 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 1999-2006 | % of Total World Value, 1999-2006 | |
| United States | 14.23 | 20.98 | 13.37 | 14.82 | 16.15 | 13.63 | 13.46 | 16.91 | 123.54 | 39% |
| Russia | 6.30 | 8.04 | 6.52 | 6.47 | 4.99 | 5.81 | 7.49 | 8.70 | 54.32 | 17% |
| France | 1.98 | 5.52 | 4.89 | 0.57 | 2.78 | 2.37 | 8.32 | 0.50 | 26.92 | 9% |
| United Kingdom | 1.85 | 0.72 | 0.70 | 0.79 | 0.67 | 6.89 | 2.91 | 3.10 | 17.63 | 6% |
| Germany | 4.94 | 1.44 | 1.40 | 1.13 | 1.67 | 1.83 | 1.77 | 1.90 | 16.07 | 5% |
| China | 3.58 | 0.72 | 1.40 | 0.45 | 0.56 | 0.75 | 2.60 | 0.80 | 10.86 | 3% |
| All Other European | 7.91 | 5.16 | 4.42 | 5.45 | 3.00 | 7.64 | 7.49 | 6.10 | 47.16 | 15% |
| All Others | 2.59 | 3.00 | 3.03 | 2.38 | 1.89 | 2.80 | 2.29 | 2.30 | 20.27 | 6% |
| Total World Value | 43.37 | 45.59 | 35.72 | 32.06 | 31.69 | 41.71 | 46.32 | 40.31 | 316.76 | -- |
SOURCE: Data from Richard Grimmett, Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1999-2006, Congressional Research Service (updated September 26, 2007), pp. 81. Totals may not add due to rounding. Years are calendar years, not fiscal years. Data is the most recent available. |
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Travis Sharp 202-546-0795 ext. 2105 tsharp@armscontrolcenter.org
Travis Sharp is the Military Policy Analyst at the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation. He has published articles on defense policy in scholarly journals, internet magazines, and local newspapers, and has appeared on or been quoted in media venues such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Boston Globe, CNN, and Al Jazeera.