The arms industry is a massive global industry and business which manufacturers and sells weapons and Military technology and equipment. Defense companies produce arms mainly for the armed forces of States. Products include guns, ammunition, missiles, military aircraft, military vehicles, ships, Electronic Systems, and more. The arms industry also conducts significant Research and development
It is estimated that yearly, over 1 trillion dollars are spent on arms. Many industrialized countries have a domestic arms industry to supply their own military forces. Some countries also have a substantial legal or illegal domestic trade in weapons for use by its citizens. The illegal trade in small arms is prevalent in many countries and regions affected by political instability. Sometimes legally purchased weaponry is re-sold for illegal purposes.
Contracts to supply a given country's military are awarded by the government, making arms contracts of substantial political importance. The link between politics and the arms trade can result in the development of what US President Eisenhower described as a military-industrial complex, where the armed forces, commerce, and politics become closely linked. Various corporations, some publicly held, others private, bid for these contracts, which are often worth many billions of dollars. Sometimes, such as the contract for the new Joint Strike Fighter, a competitive tendering process takes place, where the decision is made on the merits of the design submitted by the companies involved. Other times, no bidding or competition takes place.
In the Cold War Era, arms exports were used by both the Soviet Union and the United States to influence their standings in other countries, particularly Third World Countries Since the fall of the Soviet Union, global arms exports initially fell slightly, but have since grown again to cold war levels.
The Control Arms Campaign, founded by Amnesty International, Oxfam, and the International Action Network on Small Arms, estimates that there are over 600 million items of small arms in circulation, and that over 1135 companies based in more than 98 different countries manufacture small arms as well as their various components and ammunition. According to Oxfam, an estimated 500,000 individuals die in small arms-conflicts every year, approximately one death per minute.
| 1. Top arms exporters - National Priorities Project | ||
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In 1995, top arms exporters included China in place of France. ... Not included are small arms and light weapons, trucks, small artillery, ammunition.| 2. Oxfam - Conflict - The G8: global arms exporters | ||
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| 3. Small arms proliferation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | ||
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| 4. Arms industry - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia | ||
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| 5. Small Arms Export Sales | ||
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| 6. Zenit News Agency - The World Seen From Rome | ||
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| 7. Rongstad's Worldwide Military Links: Small Arms | ||
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| 8. Small Arms and Light Weapons - Global Policy Forum - UN Security ... | ||
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| 9. Arms Manufacturers & Distributors | ||
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| 10. Oxfam - Conflict - The G8: global arms exporters | ||
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