According to "Defense News" Israeli weapons exports reached a
record $3.7 billion in 2002, nearly 40% higher than the $2.6 billion
exported in 2001. Israel's orders backlog for weapons and
defense equipment in 2002 was equal to Russia's in 2001. For
the first time, Israel's arms exports in 2002 put it in third place,
after the US and Russia.
"Defense News" also noted that Israeli officials do not comment
on the country's arms exports achievements.
It also noted that the Ministry of Defense does not publish figures
about arms exports for two reasons: US pressure against arms
sales to China and other countries that the US perceives as
potentially hostile; and threats by European countries to impose
embargoes and commercial sanctions on Israel, due to their
criticism of Israels military responses to Palestinian terror
activities.
Ministry of Defense spokesperson Rachel Neidak-Ashkenaz did
say that the new orders (for defense goods) exceeded $3 billion in
2002, which is considerably higher than in previous years.
Analysts suggest that the increase in defense exports was mostly
due to the Turkish Army deal to upgrade 170 M-60 tanks for $668
million. The deal was closed late last year. Other large-scale
deals in 2002 were sales of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs),
ground radars, missiles, communications equipment and
electronic counter-measures to India and East Asian, Eastern
European and Latin American countries.
The US, the world's largest arms exporter, had $12.1 billion in new
orders for arms and defense equipment in 2001. The UK was in
second place, with $6.1 billion; Russia in third, with $3.7 billion;
Germany in fourth, with $3.2 billion; followed by France - $2.9
billion; Israel - $2.6 billion; and Italy - $764.6 million.
If the new contracts signed in 2002 indeed reached $3.5 billion or
more. it places Israel in third place, behind the US and Russia
in terms of signed contracts, in contrast to actual deliveries
according to the International Institute for Strategic Studies.