The first five lines of the rating of enterprises engaged in the production and sale of weapons were occupied exclusively by American companies. This alignment is observed for the first time since 2002.
This is evidenced by the results of a study conducted by specialists of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
Among the world leaders in the sale of weapons were Lockheed Martin, known for its production of fighter jets; aircraft manufacturer “Boeing”; Northrop Grumman, a shipbuilding and aerospace technology company; Raytheon, the developer of the Tomahawk; General Dynamics, where the M1 Abrams tank is made.
According to the results of the study, by the end of 2018, the total sales of US weapons amounted to $ 246 billion. Thus, the United States gained control of 59% of the total global arms market.
Against this background, arms sales by European companies declined. The performance of British enterprises decreased by 4.8%, German – by 3.8%. At the same time, French companies recorded growth in sales volumes. Experts attribute this to the result of a 30 percent increase in sales by the Dassault Aviation combat aircraft manufacturer.
Such high rates of American military corporations are explained by the policy of Washington, which imposes its weapons on all states that are forced to be “partners” for the United States. In particular, NATO countries are required to acquire American weapons. Moreover, attempts by states to acquire weapons not in the United States entail political pressure. An example of this is Turkey, which purchased the Russian S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile systems.