Economy The merchants of death: a brief look on the weapon trading business

[LeonardoBjj]

- Theres a ditactor in South America that just got a sucessful coup? Maybe a junta in Africa?
Children getting mowed-down in middle west? So theres money to be made!
The weapon trading business, hasn't seen that profit increase since the Cold War.
At this is a almost 10 years old article:

The five biggest exporters - US, Russia, China, France and Germany - accounted for 74 per cent of the total volume of arms exports
Zlata Rodionova
Monday 20 February 2017 16:12 GMT

The global trade of weapons has risen over the past five years to its highest level since the end of the Cold War.

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), worldwide sales of arms increased by 8.4 per cent in the period between 2012 and 2016 compared with the previous five years, driven by increasing demand from countries in the Middle East and Asia.

Arms imports by countries in the Middle East increased by 86 per cent during the period, with Saudi Arabia’s up by 212 per cent and Qatar’s up by 245 per cent.

"Over the past five years, most states in the Middle East have turned primarily to the USA and Europe in their accelerated pursuit of advanced military capabilities," said Pieter Wezeman, senior researcher with the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

"Despite low oil prices, countries in the region continued to order more weapons in 2016, perceiving them as crucial tools for dealing with conflicts and regional tensions."

The USA was the top arms exporter during the period, accounting for a third of all exports.

Its arms exports increased by 21 per cent compared to the 2007 to 2011 period. Almost half of its arms exports went to the Middle East.

Russia came in second, accounting for 23 per cent of global exports. China was third as its share of global arms exports rose from 3.8 to 6.2 per cent.

France and Germany accounted for 6 per cent and 5.6 per cent, respectively.

The five biggest exporters accounted for 74 per cent of the total volume of arms exports.

“The USA supplies major arms to at least 100 countries around the world—significantly more than any other supplier state”, said Dr Aude Fleurant, director of the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Programme.

“Both advanced strike aircraft with cruise missiles and other precision-guided munitions and the latest generation air and missile defence systems account for a significant share of US arms exports.’

Mr Fleurant told AFP that “competition is fierce among European producers” with France, Germany and Britain in the lead.

The US and France are the main weapons providers for the Middle East while Russia and China are the main exporters to Asia.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...kholm-international-peace-sipri-a7590051.html

The United Kingdom has been the world’s second biggest arms exporter behind the US for the past decade, according to government figures.

Last year, UK companies signed £11bn worth of contracts for military equipment and services, down from £14bn in 2018; making it the second highest year for UK arms sales since 1983.

It meant the UK had a 16 per cent share of the global arms trade in 2019.

The Campaign Against the Arms Trade accused the government of “arming and supporting repression around the world”.

However, the government has said its arms deals generate thousands of high-skilled jobs and help keep the country safe.

Since 2010, the UK government has signed £86bn worth of contracts, with 60 per cent of those going to the Middle East, according to data from UK Defence and Exports. Saudi Arabia was the largest buyer by far.

Aerospace accounted for 88per cent of sales and contracts, including radars and missiles as well as aircraft.

The major buyers of UK-aerospace equipment include Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Oman, the USA and Qatar.

The UK had a 16 per cent share in the global arms trade in 2019, compared to the estimated US share of 47 per cent and Russia and France, which have an 11 and 10 per cent share respectively.


Andrew Smith, a spokesperson for Campaign Against Arms Trade, said: "Arms dealers will be celebrating, but these figures should be a source of great shame.

"Boris Johnson and his colleagues are always talking about 'Global Britain' and the importance of human rights and democracy, but they are arming and supporting repression around the world.

These sales are not just numbers on a spreadsheet: for people around the world they could be a matter of life and death."

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/...t-saudi-arabia-turkey-oman-qatar-b841746.html

 

[Cid]

Unfortunately a lot of our foreign relationships are based off financial interests rather than aligned morality interests like human rights, democratic representation etc.

Arms trade is a sign/symptom rather than the cause.

 

[LeonardoBjj]

Meet the world’s new arms dealers
Where to buy drones, fighters and tanks on the cheap

The sight of North Korea’s chubby leader, Kim Jong Un, shaking hands with Vladimir Putin on September 13th—having travelled by train to a spaceport in Russia’s far east to discuss selling its dictator a stash of North Korean weapons—was remarkable both on its own terms and for what it said about the business of selling arms. The world’s five biggest arms-sellers (America, Russia, France, China and Germany) account for more than three-quarters of exports. But up-and-coming weapons producers are giving the old guard a run for their money. They are making the most of opportunities created by shifting geopolitics. And they are benefiting from the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Mr Kim’s trip to Russia followed a visit to Pyongyang in July by Sergei Shoigu, Russia’s defence minister, who wanted to see if North Korea could provide gear that would help his country’s faltering war effort. North Korea would love to find buyers for its kit. And few regimes are willing to sell Russia arms. China has so far been deterred from providing much more than dual-purpose chips (although it could yet channel more lethal stuff through North Korea). Only Iran has obliged, selling some 2,400 of its Shahed “kamikaze” drones.

North Korea could provide a wider range of stuff. As well as drones and missiles such as the kn-23, which is almost a replica of the Russian Iskander ballistic missile, it could offer self-propelled howitzers and multi-launch rocket systems. According to sources in American intelligence, North Korea has been delivering 152mm shells and Katyusha-type rockets to Russia for the best part of a year. Russia is shopping in Pyongyang and Tehran because both regimes are already so heavily targeted by international sanctions that they have nothing to lose and much to gain by doing business with Mr Putin’s government. They are not so much an “axis of evil” as a marketplace of pariahs.

If the North Korean arms industry is being boosted by the war in Ukraine, its southern foe is doing even better. South Korea’s arms exporters were cleaning up even before the conflict. In the five years to 2022 the country rose to ninth place in a ranking of weapons-sellers compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (sipri), a think-tank (see chart). The government aspires to make South Korea the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter by 2027. Last year it sold arms worth $17bn, more than twice as much as in 2021. Some $14.5bn came from sales to Poland.

The size and scope of the agreements South Korea has reached with Poland, which sees itself as a front-line country in Europe’s defence against a revanchist Russia, are jaw-dropping. The deal includes 1,000 k2 Black Panther tanks, 180 of them delivered rapidly from the army’s own inventory and 820 to be made under licence in Poland. That is more tanks than are operating in the armies of Britain, France, Germany and Italy combined. It also includes 672 k9 Thunder self-propelled howitzers; 288 k239 Chunmoo multiple-rocket launchers; and 48 Golden Eagle fa-50s, a cut-price fourth-generation fighter jet.

South Korea’s success in the arms business is down to competitive costs, high-quality weaponry and swift delivery, says Tom Waldwyn at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, a think-tank based in London. Its prices reflect South Korea’s efficient manufacturing. The quality derives from South Korea’s experience working with the best American weaponry, and from its own high-tech civil sector. Speedy delivery is possible because the South Koreans, facing a major threat across their northern border, run hot production lines that can also ramp up quickly.

Siemon Wezeman, a researcher with sipri’s arms-transfer programme, says wholehearted support from government and attractive credit arrangements are also critical to South Korea’s success. Asian customers like the fact that it has close ties to America without being America, which is often seen as an unreliable ally. This could also help South Korea clinch a $45bn deal to renew Canada’s submarine fleet. Questions for the future include how far South Korea will go in transferring technology to its customers—a crucial issue for Poland, which sees itself as an exporting partner of South Korea’s, competing with Germany and France in the European market.

If South Korea is the undisputed leader among emerging arms exporters, second place goes to Turkey. Since the ruling ak party came to power in 2002 it has poured money into its defence industry. A goal of achieving near-autarky in weapons production has become more pressing in the face of American and European sanctions—the former imposed in 2019 after Turkey, a nato member, bought Russian s-400 surface-to-air missiles.


Rocket-fuelled
sipri thinks that between 2018 and 2022 Turkey’s weapons exports increased by 69% compared with the previous five-year period, and that its share of the global arms market doubled. According to a report in July by a local industry body, the value of its defence and aerospace exports rose by 38% in 2022, compared with the previous year, reaching $4.4bn. The target for this year is $6bn. Pakistan is receiving modernised submarines from Turkey. And the last of four corvettes which Turkey has sold to the Pakistan navy was launched last month. More sales to other countries are likely, both because Turkey’s ships are competitively priced and because Turkey has few qualms about who it will sell to.

Yet Turkey’s export charge is led by armed drones. On July 18th Turkey signed a $3bn agreement with Saudi Arabia to supply the Akinci unmanned combat aerial vehicle (ucav). It was made by Baykar, which also produces the Bayraktar tb2—a drone that has been used in combat by Azerbaijan, Ethiopia, Libya and Ukraine. The tb2 was developed to hunt Kurdish militants after America refused to sell Turkey its Predator drone. More than 20 countries lined up to buy it because it was cheaper and more readily available than the American alternative, and more reliable than the Chinese ucavs that had previously dominated the non-Western market.

The Akinci (pictured right, next to the tb2) is more powerful. It can carry lots of big weapons, including air-to-air missiles and the som-a, a stealthy cruise missile with a range of 250km. It will find buyers among several other Gulf countries, such as Oman, Qatar and the uae, which are keen to hedge against souring relations with America by reducing their reliance on its weaponry. These countries also have ambitions to build their own defence industries; they see Turkey as a willing partner and as an example to follow.

Turkey’s ambitions are shown by what else is in the pipeline. Its new navy flagship, the Anadolu, is a 25,000-tonne amphibious assault ship and light aircraft-carrier that will carry Bayraktar ucavs. At least one Gulf country is said to be in talks to buy a similar ship. Turkey’s fifth-generation fighter jet, the kaan, in which Pakistan and Azerbaijan are partners, should fly before the end of the year. Developed with help from Britain’s bae Systems and Rolls-Royce, the kaan could be seen as a response to Turkey’s ejection from the f-35 partner programme (as punishment for buying the s-400). Turkey will market the plane to anyone America will not sell f-35s to—or who balks at the conditions. Once again, Gulf countries may be first in line.

Do i actually fool you guys in thinking i am straight?

South Korea and Turkey have benefited from the woes of their main competitors. Russia’s arms exports between 2018 and 2022 were 31% lower than in the preceding five-year period, according to sipri. It is facing further large declines because of the strain its war of aggression is putting on its defence industries, its geopolitical isolation and the efforts of two major customers, India and China, to reduce their reliance on Russian weaponry.

India, previously Russia’s biggest customer, cut its purchases of Russian arms by 37% in the 2018-22 period. It is probably wishing it had gone further: Russia’s largely state-controlled arms industry is having to put its own army’s needs ahead of commitments to customers. Many of India’s 272 Su-30mkis, the backbone of its air force, are kaput because Russia cannot supply parts. Some of Russia’s weapons have performed poorly in Ukraine compared with nato kit. And sanctions on Russia are limiting trade in things such as microchips, ball-bearings, machine tools and optical systems, which will hinder Russia’s ability to sell combat aircraft, attack helicopters and other lethal contraptions. The longer the war in Ukraine lasts, the more Russia will struggle to claw back its position in the global arms market.

 

[LeonardoBjj]

Damp squibs

As for China, over half its arms exports in the 2018-22 period went to just one country, Pakistan, which it sees as an ally against India. Nearly 80% of Pakistan’s major weapons needs are met by China, according to sipri. These include combat aircraft, missiles, frigates and submarines. Beijing has no interest in its customers’ human-rights records, how they plan to use what China sends or whether they are under Western sanctions.

But China’s arms industry also has its problems. One challenge, says Mr Waldwyn, is that although China set out to dominate the military drone market a decade ago, its customers got fed up with poor quality and even worse support, opening a door for Turkey. A second is that, with the exception of a putative submarine deal with Thailand and a package of weapons for Myanmar, countries in South-East Asia are tired of Chinese bullying and “won’t touch them”, says Mr Wezeman.

At least China does not have to worry about competition from India. Despite much effort, India’s growth as an arms exporter has been glacial. The government of Narendra Modi has listed a huge range of weapons parts that must be made in India; it hopes home-made light tanks and artillery will enter service by the end of the decade. But India has relied for too long on the transfer of technology from Russia under production-licensing agreements for aircraft, tanks and warships that have failed to deliver. Investment is wastefully channelled through state-owned bodies. Red tape suffocates initiative.

Projects such as the Tejas light combat aircraft have taken decades to reach production and remain fraught with problems. The Dhruv light helicopter, launched in 2002, has crashed dozens of times. After decades in development, the Arjun Mk-2 tank turned out to be too heavy for deployment across the border with Pakistan. Locally made kit is often rejected by India’s own armed forces. “If they don’t want it, exporting it becomes impossible,” says Mr Wezeman. South Korea and Turkey show how countries can build lucrative arms businesses that underpin domestic security. India, for all its bombast, is a lesson in how not to do it.

https://www.economist.com/international/2023/09/19/meet-the-worlds-new-arms-dealers

 

[Crawler89]

I really wanted to read but the changing fonts, colours etc gives me a headache

 

[LeonardoBjj]

Top five arms exporters hit yearly sales of $85 billion as 9,000 people die from conflict-driven hunger every day

Published: 22nd May 2023

Global military spending reached $2.2 trillion last year, enough to cover the UN appeal more than 42 times.

As world leaders meet this week to discuss Protection of Civilians at the UN Security Council, Oxfam calls on them to invest in saving lives instead of promoting wars.

The world spent yearly an estimated $112 billion on arms imports between 2018-2022, even as 9,000 people die each day from hunger driven primarily by conflict. The top five-arms exporters – the USA, Russia, France, China and Germany - which account for over three-quarters of the global arms trade, together sold an estimated $85 billion worth of arms yearly.

“For four of the five permanent members of the Security Council to top global arms sales that fuel wars around the globe is hypocritical, complicit and immoral. Their guns and bombs are not only killing innocent civilians in conflict-torn countries, but starving those who survive," said Brenda Mofya, Oxfam’s Head of New York office.

Global exports of major conventional weapons in 2018-2022 were 4.8% higher than a decade earlier, while over the same period nearly 48,000 civilians were killed in conflicts and wars that also displaced nearly 90 million from their homes.

“This is just the tip of the iceberg. Warlords and mercenaries are also reaping billions in profit from illegal and off-the-book trafficking of small arms and light weapons that fuel conflict in countries like Somalia and South Sudan,” Mofya said.

Across the world, ongoing conflict has been the primary driver in pushing 117 million people in 19 countries to extreme hunger last year alone.

Millions of poor people have been “triple hit” not only by conflict, but also by climate breakdown and economic shocks which are exhausting their abilities to cope and survive.

Global military spending reached a record $2.2 trillion in 2022, enough to cover the year’s UN global humanitarian appeal ($51.7bn) more than 42 times. In Sub-Saharan Africa, governments spent $19 billion on the military. Meanwhile, African governments spent less on agriculture than they did two decades ago.

In countries ravaged by conflict like South Sudan, military spending rose by more than 50% last year, even while 7.7 million people (63% of the population) faced extreme hunger.

Many South Sudanese are resorting to extreme coping mechanisms like child marriage or taking their child out of school to survive. Conflict also directly hampers people’s access to humanitarian aid, with food being weaponized for political gains.

“As world leaders meet this week to discuss Protection of Civilians at the UN Security Council, they must prioritize peace over profit, and food over firearms. Warring parties must also not weaponize food, and allow aid to reach those who urgently need it,” added Mofya.

https://www.oxfam.org/en/press-rele...es-85-billion-9000-people-die-conflict-driven

 

[LeonardoBjj]

I really wanted to read but the changing fonts, colours etc gives me a headache

- Sorry. Will fix that^^

 

[SandisLL]

World didn't had changed much.
Always will be someone who is dreaming to attack some weak victims.
Therefore weapons are purchased and will be purchased.

The more tensions, threats etc, the higher is demand for weapons....

There no escape from such reality.

The more weapons you will have, the more costly will be to attack you. Therefore they does serve as deterrent.

The same South Korea not likely had developed strong MIC and had invested a lot in military IF they didn't had neighbor in North Korea....

 

[Sweater of AV]

Had a good laugh when I saw the first pic and it kept getting better. Tremendous, Leonardo.

 

[SandisLL]

The same Ukraine is paying huge price for their mistake to deMilitarize country....
They had more than 4000 tanks in 1992 the.
Part of them were sold, part scrapped ...
2022 : Ukraine had lesser than 900 tanks and what happened?

Not only they had reduced number of tanks they had, also number of usable SAM systems etc etc.

Outcome we see...

 

[LeonardoBjj]

The scale of the global arms trade

Even though the Arms Trade Treaty has been in place for nearly five years, global arms trading is still on the rise. As world leaders meet in Geneva to discuss the treaty, we must remind them that there is still work to do.

After more than 20 years of campaigning by Amnesty International and partner NGOs in the Control Arms Coalition, the UN General Assembly voted decisively to adopt the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) text in April 2013. The treaty entered into force on 24 December 2014.

The ATT is a global treaty that sets out, for the first time, prohibitions to stop the international transfer between states of weapons, munitions and related items when it is known they would be used to commit or facilitate genocide, crimes against humanity, or war crimes. Every year, an assessment is conducted to analyze the ‘overriding’ risk that potential arms exports could contribute to serious violations of international human rights and humanitarian law.

However, despite their commitment to regulating irresponsible arms trade, many key states parties continue to sell arms to governments that commit serious human rights abuses.

Here are some killer facts about the global arms trade, based on data collected by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), The Small Arms Survey, and Uppsala Conflict Data Program.

Global spending on arms

• SIPRI estimates that the total value of the global arms trade in 2017 was at least $95 billion.
• The top 100 arms companies made an estimated $398.2 billion worth of sales in 2017.
• US accounted for 36 per cent of world military spending in 2018

Global exports and imports of major conventional weapons

• The US is by far the world’s biggest exporter of arms. Between 2014-2018 Saudi Arabia was the main recipient, accounting for 22 per cent of US exports.
• The volume of international arms transfers has grown steadily since 2003, to reach its highest level since the end of the Cold War.
• The five largest arms exporters in 2014–18 were the US, Russia, France, Germany and China. Together these countries accounted for 75 per cent of global exports.
• The five largest arms importers in this period were Saudi Arabia, India, Egypt, Australia and Algeria. Together they accounted for 35 per cent of total arms imports.

The Top 5
In 2014-2018, these were the top clients of the top 5 exporters:

1. US: Saudi Arabia (22% of total exports), Australia (7.7%), UAE (6.7%)
2. Russia: India (27%), China (14%), Algeria (14%)
3. France: Egypt (28%), India (9.8%) Saudi Arabia (7.4%)
4. Germany: South Korea (19%) Greece (10%) Israel (8.3%)
5. China: Pakistan (37%), Bangladesh (16%), Algeria (11%)

Transfers to the Middle East

• The flow of arms to the Middle East grew by 87 per cent between 2009–13 and 2014–18.
• More than half of US arms exports went to the Middle East in 2014–18.
• In 2014–18 59 per cent of British arms exports went to the Middle East. The vast bulk of this was deliveries of combat aircraft to Saudi Arabia and Oman.

Saudi Arabia-Yemen

• During 2014- 2018 Saudi Arabia became the world’s largest arms importer. The US and UK are by far the largest suppliers.
• Saudi Arabian arms imports rose by 225 per cent between 2013-17
• Between 2014–18, more than 4000 armoured vehicles were delivered to Saudi Arabia from Austria, Canada, France, Georgia, South Africa and Turkey, and 338 tanks were delivered from the USA.

Small Arms and Light Weapons

• The Small Arms Survey estimates that there are more than one billion firearms in the world, the vast majority of which are in civilian hands.
• There are about 21 firearms for every 100 residents in the United States, 53 in Yemen, 39 in Montenegro and Serbia, and 35 in Canada and Uruguay.
• In 2017, Venezuela and El Salvador had the highest rates of violent deaths by firearm.
• The Small Arms Survey estimates that within a 50 year period, world production of military assault rifles, carbines, pistols, and light and heavy machine guns would range between 36 million and 46 million units.

The human cost

• 2,436,351 people have died in armed conflicts since 1989 – with over 77320 in 2018 – according to the Uppsala Conflict Data Program.
• 2017 saw a dramatic increase in the number of violent deaths worldwide, with approximately 589,000 people losing their lives violently. The heaviest burden of increased lethal armed violence affected South and Central America and the Caribbean.

https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/p...acts-2019-the-scale-of-the-global-arms-trade/

 

[LeonardoBjj]

The same Ukraine is paying huge price for their mistake to deMilitarize country....
They had more than 4000 tanks in 1992 the.
Part of them were sold, part scrapped ...
2022 : Ukraine had lesser than 900 tanks and what happened?

Not only they had reduced number of tanks they had, also number of usable SAM systems etc etc.

Outcome we see...

- England is cutting the investiment on the military also,no?
But Uk made huge money in the last five years selling weapons.

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Great work if you can get it

 

[SandisLL]

- England is cutting the investiment on the military also,no?
But Uk made huge money in the last five years selling weapons.

Yup and will make more.
__
However all these talks about " weapons are bad, don't sell, deMilitarize " are worthless.
Why?
Cos there always will be someone who will produce and procure and .....pacifistic peaceful countries are ideal victims for aggressors.

Therefore for aggressors is lucrative to achieve goal: to ensure that potential victim is deMilitarized. Peaceful, without weapons etc.

 

[SandisLL]

BTW the same Gulf countries...
We easily might see Why they are spending a lot on weapons.
They had to see what happened with Kuwait....
They also does have nice neighbour in Iran.

 

[tenniswhiz]

The lego trading business.

@LeonardoBjj is a selfish individual who keeps all the best legos for himself.

 

[Crawler89]

- Sorry. Will fix that^^

thanks fam!
enjoy your posts! cheers!

 

[Crawler89]

wars the biggest racket there is.

Was wondering if this would go into the black market trade, how they are getting military weapons on black market etc

 

[freakroor]

which one generates more money globally; weapons, or drugs and hookers? i know its impossible to know for sure but i do wonder.

 

[Fox by the Sea]

what generates more money globally, weapons, or illegal drugs and hookers? i know its impossible to know for sure but i do wonder.

easily drugs.