Accused of Funding Terrorism, This Country Still Buys a Ton of Guns From America

24/7 Wall St. Insights

• The U.S. is the largest arms exporter globally, accounting for almost 42% of arms exports.
• Regardless of global gun trade downturns, the U.S. export field has continued to rise.
• Weapons and aircraft exported by the U.S. include F-35A Lightning-2 FGA (fighter ground attack) aircraft, the F/A-18E Super Hornet, surface-to-surface missiles (SSM), tanks, and armored personnel vehicles.
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An armed conflict between Israel and Palestine erupted after Hamas-led fighters attacked Israel on October 7, 2023. The conflict was a culmination of decades, if not centuries, worth of tension, territorial disputes, and violence between the two groups. After October 7, and in response to Israeli citizens being taken captive by Hamas, Israel escalated the violence by launching both air and ground attacks — some of which are continuing to this day. In response to the growing humanitarian conflict in Palestine, citizens across the globe have urged governments and weapons dealers to stop supplying the Israeli army. The U.K. government recently announced a decision to suspend arms exports to Israel, which the U.S. is said to possibly disagree with. (Israel and Iran have also clashed this year. But what happens if Israel and Iran go to war?)

The United States is a prolific arms exporter with the largest arms industry in the world. 42% of the top 100 arms-producing companies have headquarters in our country — which shows considering that the U.S. also accounts for nearly 42% of global arms exports. Across the globe, the U.S. supplies weapons to 109 different countries, shares the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. And U.S. arms exports rose 17% between 2014–18 and 2019–23. (Here are the top-selling guns of all time.)

24/7 Wall St. set out to learn which countries receive the most U.S. arms exports. To do so, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed databases from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent international institute with a research focus on conflict, armaments, and disarmaments. Our data focused on which 25 countries bought the most weapons from the U.S. between 2019 and 2023, which is the most recent information available.

With the ongoing Russia-Ukraine and Israel-Palestine conflicts, you might guess that any one of these countries is at the top of our list — but you’d be incorrect. The top country on this list accounts for 15% of U.S. arms exports, compared to just 3.6% and 4.7% for Israel and Ukraine, respectively. However, as it continues to defend itself from Russia’s invasion with the help of more U.S.-supplied weapons, Ukraine may move up in exports next year.

Here are the 25 countries with the highest U.S. arms exports:

Why We’re Covering This

Despite global arms transfers actually declining slightly from 2014–18 and 2019–23, U.S. arms exports rose 17% during that time. In the global political climate, it is interesting to see which countries receive the most U.S. arms exports and how these deals impact the global arms trade. This also shows how much the global arms trade influences America’s economy and job market.

25. Sweden

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• Sweden’s military expenditure, 2023: $8.8 billion — or 1.47% of Sweden’s GDP

24. New Zealand

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: anti-ship missile/SSM — new Harpoon Block-2
• New Zealand’s military expenditure, 2023: $3.0 billion — or 1.22% of New Zealand’s GDP

23. Singapore

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: transport helicopter — new CH-47F Chinook
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: UAV — new RQ-4A Global Hawk
• Singapore’s military expenditure, 2023: $13.2 billion — or 2.66% of Singapore’s GDP

22. Germany

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: guided rocket — new GMLRS
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-16V Viper
• Germany’s military expenditure, 2023: $66.8 billion — or 1.52% of Germany’s GDP

21. Denmark

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.0%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: BVRAAM — new AIM-120C AMRAAM
• Denmark’s military expenditure, 2023: $8.1 billion — or 1.95% of Denmark’s GDP

20. Romania

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• Romania’s military expenditure, 2023: $5.6 billion — or 1.61% of Romania’s GDP

19. Afghanistan

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: APV — new HMMWV-UA
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: transport helicopter — second hand but modernized S-70 Black Hawk
• Afghanistan’s military expenditure, 2021: $0.3 billion — or 1.83% of Afghanistan’s GDP

18. Taiwan

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.2%
• Largest weapons deal with US: APC/IFV — new Namer
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: turbofan — new CF6
• Taiwan’s military expenditure, 2023: $16.6 billion — or 2.17% of Taiwan’s GDP

17. Morocco

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.3%
• Largest weapons deal with US: tank — new M-1A1 Abrams
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: SAM — new ESSM Block-2
• Morocco’s military expenditure, 2023: $5.2 billion — or 3.64% of Morocco’s GDP

16. Bahrain

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.5%
• Largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: combat helicopter — new AH-1Z Viper
• Bahrain’s military expenditure, 2023: $1.4 billion — or 3.11% of Bahrain’s GDP

15. Poland

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.7%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: guided rocket — new GMLRS
• Poland’s military expenditure, 2023: $31.6 billion — or 3.83% of Poland’s GDP

14. Italy

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 2.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35B Lightning-2
• Italy’s military expenditure, 2023: $35.5 billion — or 1.61% of Italy’s GDP

13. India

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: combat helicopter — new AH-64E Apache
• India’s military expenditure, 2023: $83.6 billion — or 2.44% of India’s GDP

12. UAE

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.2%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• UAE’s military expenditure, 2023: N/A

11. Norway

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.4%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• Norway’s military expenditure, 2023: $8.7 billion — or 1.61% of Norway’s GDP

10. Israel

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.6%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: APC/IFV — new Namer
• Israel’s military expenditure, 2023: $27.5 billion — or 5.32% of Israel’s GDP

9. Kuwait

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 4.5%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F/A-18E Super Hornet
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: tank — new M-1A2S Abrams
• Kuwait’s military expenditure, 2023: $7.8 billion — or 4.90% of Kuwait’s GDP

8. Netherlands

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 4.6%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: transport helicopter — new CH-47F Chinook
• Netherlands’s military expenditure, 2023: $16.6 billion — or 1.53% of Netherlands’s GDP

7. Ukraine

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 4.7%
• Largest weapons deal with US: guided rocket — second hand GMLRS
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: loitering munition — new Phoenix Ghost
• Ukraine’s military expenditure, 2023: $64.8 billion — or 36.65% of Ukraine’s GDP

6. United Kingdom

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 5.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35B Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• United Kingdom’s military expenditure, 2023: $74.9 billion — or 2.26% of United Kingdom’s GDP

5. South Korea

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 5.3%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• South Korea’s military expenditure, 2023: $47.9 billion — or 2.81% of South Korea’s GDP

4. Australia

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 7.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• Australia’s military expenditure, 2023: $32.3 billion — or 1.92% of Australia’s GDP

3. Qatar

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 8.2%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-15 Advanced Eagle
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: APC/IFV — new Namer
• Qatar’s military expenditure, 2022: $15.4 billion — or 6.96% of Qatar’s GDP

2. Japan

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 9.5%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• Japan’s military expenditure, 2023: $50.2 billion — or 1.20% of Japan’s GDP

1. Saudi Arabia

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 15.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-15 Advanced Eagle
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-15 Advanced Eagle
• Saudi Arabia’s military expenditure, 2023: $75.8 billion — or 7.09% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP

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