Market share of the leading exporters of major weapons 2018-2022

The United States had a market share of 40 percent in international arms exports between 2018 and 2022. The second largest supplier of major weapons worldwide was Russia, accounting for 16 percent of exports over the observed period. The United States and Russia contributed over half of major weapons exports between 2017 and 2021. Following the former Cold War superpowers, France, Germany, and China were the leading global suppliers.

Leading military spending countries

The specter of the Cold War continues to influence the modern arms trade. The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) continues to be active three decades after the fall of the USSR. The highest spending into the NATO charter comes from the United States, though the U.S. defense outlays have decreased since the peak of the Iraq and Afghan wars and are forecast to decrease further. However, China has increased military spending in the past decade, signaling a possible shift in the global balance of military power.

Leading military importers

However, the demand side tells a different story. The market share of imports shows Saudi Arabia and India as the largest buyers. Saudi Arabia also spends the most on its military as a percentage of gross domestic product, followed by Israel. This pivot towards regional competition for major arms, in contrast with the constant global friction of the later 20th century, could reshape power politics in the coming decades.