Created to provide increased transparency in the global arms trade, the register calls on countries to voluntarily submit data on exports and imports of weapons listed in seven categories: tanks, armored combat vehicles (ACVs), large-caliber artillery, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, and missiles and missile launchers. Countries may also provide information on their weapons holdings, procurement through national production, and relevant arms transfer policies. Typically, some 90 countries participate every year.
The United States reported 1,839 arms exports in 1999, a drop from the 1998 total of 2,700 (later revised to 2,713). For the second consecutive year, Europe led in U.S. arms imports, accounting for nearly two-thirds of the transfer total, while Asia took receipt of just more than a quarter of all U.S. weapons deliveries. The Near East, typically a leading destination of U.S. weaponry, accounted for only 79 imports spread among three countries—Egypt, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. Individually, Turkey led all 27 importers with a total of 315 weapons receipts, while Norway and Taiwan ranked second and third with 239 and 201 imports, respectively.
The United States imported one tank from France, two ACVs from Canada, and two ACVs from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
—For more information, contact Wade Boese.
Region/Country | Battle Tanks | ACVs | Heavy Artillery | Combat Aircraft | Attack Helicopters | Warships | Missiles and Launchers | TOTAL |
Africa | 2 | |||||||
Egypt | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Asia | 518 | |||||||
Japan | 33 | 81 | 114 | |||||
Malaysia | 49 | 49 | ||||||
Singapore | 9 | 9 | ||||||
South Korea | 18 | 19 | 100 | 137 | ||||
Taiwan | 98 | 50 | 7 | 46 | 201 | |||
Thailand | 1 | 7 | 8 | |||||
Europe | 1,202 | |||||||
Belgium | 90 | 90 | ||||||
Denmark | 4 | 72 | 76 | |||||
Finland | 25 | 160 | 185 | |||||
Germany | 4 | 4 | ||||||
Italy | 33 | 33 | ||||||
Netherlands | 10 | 104 | 114 | |||||
Norway | 239 | 239 | ||||||
Portugal | 25 | 25 | ||||||
Spain | 5 | 3 | 8 | |||||
Switzerland | 4 | 4 | ||||||
Turkey | 140 | 20 | 7 | 6 | 142 | 315 | ||
United Kingdom | 3 | 26 | 29 | |||||
Middle East | 77 | |||||||
Israel | 16 | 4 | 16 | 14 | 50 | |||
Saudi Arabia | 7 | 20 | 27 | |||||
South America | 15 | |||||||
Argentina | 10 | 10 | ||||||
Chile | 1 | 1 | ||||||
Peru | 4 | 4 | ||||||
Other Regions | 25 | |||||||
Australia | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | ||||
Canada | 22 | 22 | ||||||
TOTALS | 98 | 165 | 87 | 169 | 40 | 19 | 1,261 | 1,839 |
U.S. Military Holdings and Procurement Through National Production
Categories | Military Holdings 1999 (1998) | Procurement 1999 (1998) |
I. Battle Tanks | 8,133 (8,599) | 0 (0) |
II. Amored Combat Vehicles | 20,325 (20,978) | 0 (0) |
III. Large Caliber Artillery Systems | 8,780 (8,919) | 0 (0) |
IV. Combat Aircraft | 2,970 (2,970) | 28 (28) |
V. Attack Helicopters | 2,502 (2,505) | 41 (15) |
VI. Warships | 315 (329) | 93 (9) |
VII. Missiles & Missile Launchers | 118,528 (120,951) | 1,115 (0) |