This map layer shows which of the five selected countries has been the main exporting country for heavy weapons systems from 1992 to 2017.
The following weapons can be subsumed under the category of heavy weapons systems: Tanks, helicopters, combat aircraft, submarines, warships, rockets and rocket launchers. They are defined as larger machines that can be used in immediate combat and integrate various military needs (movement, firepower, etc.) into one system. The main exporting countries of heavy weapons systems are Germany, France, Great Britain, Russia and the United States.
© picture-alliance / dpa
Global trade in weapons - Overview and current dynamics
The global trade in weapons has an estimated volume of between US $40 and 50 billion per year. According to figures of the Swedish peace research institute SIPRI, the international market for arms grew by 24 per cent between 2007 and 2011 compared to the period 2002 and 2006.
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