Israeli arms exports hit $13 billion all-time high in 2023
Israeli arms exports hit $13 billion all-time high in 2023
This is the third year in a row that the sales record has been broken, despite international pressure amid war
Israel's defense exports in 2023 amounted to more than $13 billion, setting an all-time record, according to data from the Ministry of Defense's International Defense Cooperation Directorate, known as SIBAT. This represents an increase of about half a billion dollars compared to the record set in 2022.
The Ministry of Defense figures are published against the backdrop of widespread attempts to delegitimize Israeli companies globally, which was also evident today (Monday) with the opening of the international arms exhibition known as Eurosatory, held in Paris, France. Sixty-four defense companies from Israel intending to participate were expelled from the exhibition following the war in Gaza. "It is simply unfair and unjust. Israel is the attacked party and it is defending itself. It should be the last one to be penalized," said a senior security official in a conversation with Calcalist, referring to the decision of the French authorities.
According to sources close to the defense industries, Israel's weakened position in the world may continue to harm it in the field of defense exports, potentially leading to the loss of deals worth hundreds of millions of dollars. This situation creates uncertainty regarding the scope of Israeli defense exports during the current year, and it is unclear whether it will interrupt a three-year upward trend in military equipment exports, which have doubled in scope over the last five years.
In 2023, 36% of all Israel's security deals were for air defense systems, missiles, and rockets. This figure is attributed to the "Ukraine effect," where countries are arming themselves with advanced defense systems following the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. After air defense systems, radars and electronic warfare systems accounted for 11%, and means of firing and launching for another 11%. The remaining exports included unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), avionics systems, various armaments, vehicles and armored vehicles, satellites, and intelligence and cyber systems.
Almost half of all Israeli defense transactions in 2023 were signed with customers in Asia and the Pacific. Another 35% were with customers in continental Europe. Nine percent of the transactions were with North America, 4% with Latin America, 3% with the "Abraham Accords countries," and 1% with African countries.
In the case of the "Abraham Accords countries," there was a drop in the volume of transactions in 2023, compared to their 24% share in Israeli arms sales in 2022. Defense officials attributed this decrease to the relatively long time it takes for defense deals to mature. However, new deals signed at the beginning of 2024 are expected to be reflected in next year's defense export report.
"Even in a year in which the State of Israel is fighting against seven different arenas, the defense exports of the State of Israel succeed in continuing to break records," Defense Minister Yoav Galant said upon receiving the defense export report from the Director General of his office, Eyal Zamir, and the head of the defense export department, Yair Koles.
