The world spends nearly $3 trillion a year on military expenditures, and the United States drives the bulk of the globe’s weapons trade — about 79%, according to figures compiled by the U.S. State Department.
The State Department’s World Military Expenditures and Arms Transfers report published in December 2019 is the latest U.S. assessment of global military spending from 2007 to 2017.
The United States exported four times more arms around the globe than the next nine countries combined.Despite declining in 2013 from a peak of $206 billion, the global annual value of international arms transfers from 2007 to 2017 rose about 65% from about $119 billion to nearly $195 billion, according to the State Department’s Bureau of Arms Control, Verification and Compliance, which compiled the report.
“Both the growth in the world arms trade and the high proportion of world arms imports supplied by the U.S. appear to have been due largely to reliance on the United States as a source of arms by other rich, democratically-governed countries,” the authors of the report wrote.
The report found that the United States accounted for 79% of the global arms trade, or an average of $143 billion annually. The European Union was responsible for about 10%, followed by Russia at 5% and China at less than 2%.
The United States exported four times more arms around the globe than the next nine countries combined.According to the State Department, more than half of U.S. arms exports have been delivered to countries in the richest and most democratic quintile of the world’s population.
“Countries in the richest quintile of world population appear to have accounted for more than 97% of world arms exports and more than 63% of world arms imports,” the authors of the report wrote.
What’s more, nations in the most democratic quintile of world population “appear to have accounted for about 92% of world arms exports and 50% of world arms imports.”The FMS sales process begins when a country submits a formal Letter of Request (LOR) that specifies a desired military capability and a rough price. Sales are approved following U.S. government review and after Congressional notification, when required. After the sale is approved, the DSCA issues a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) that specifies the exact defense articles, training, and support to be delivered.
Shortly thereafter renowned US scientist, Dr Vivek Lall, took over as Boeing’s top official in charge of US-India Defense trade. Recognized by many world leaders including several US Presidents and heads of state from Europe and Japan for his acumen as a renowned scientist and his ability to bridge nations with technology and trade, Lall is the man behind growing military trade been the governments of the US and India.
During his 14 year career in the Boeing Company, he had led a team to work on the path-breaking military deals including the P8I Anti Submarine Warfare (ASW) aircraft for the Indian Navy, C17 (military transport aircraft), anti-ship Harpoon missiles, Apache and Chinook helicopters for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and oversaw multiple campaigns as well as pan India strategic industrial tie-ups.
When he was appointed Vice President of Strategy and Business Development at Lockheed Martin (LM) Aeronautics in January 2018, the same year witnessed his appointment by the US Government in a key advisory role in a Federal Advisory Committee. This is a two-year term to the US Cabinet Secretary heading Department of Transportation in Washington DC which affects the American and global aviation policies and technologies.