Again, less guns sold, FAZ – Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung

West European arms-producing companies increased their sales in the past year.

in Spite of the many military conflicts and political tensions are decreased arms sales in 2015 the fifth year in a row. According to a report by the peace research Institute Sipri in Stockholm, the 100 largest arms manufacturers sold weapons and military services for a total 370,7 billion dollars (350 billion euros). This is 0.6 percent less than in the previous year.

As an indicator of disarmament, Sipri does not want to see the development. Rather, have slowed the decline and could be a Signal for a trend, says the report.

Nearly two-thirds (209,7 billion dollars) of arms revenue went to American companies, even if they sold almost three percent less. “Lockheed Martin is the largest weapons manufacturer in the world,” said Aude Fleurant, Director, arms and military expenditure programme, Sipri. However, delays in deliveries of major weapons systems, the expenditure ceiling of the American military and the strength of the dollar affects the Export negatively. Lockheed Martin has made in the past year, 36.4 billion dollars in sales. Sales, Boeing ($ 28 billion) and the UK BAE Systems (25.5 billion dollars).

The West European arms sales have increased after a decline in 2014, in 2015, to 6.6 percent. The sales was 95.7 billion dollars (90 billion euros). Responsible for the French in particular are. “Large weapons exports to Egypt and Qatar have increased the sales of French arms companies,” said Fleurant. Thus, the manufacturer Dassault Aviation Group would have recorded a sales increase of almost 70 percent. The three in the Top 100 listed German companies increased their sales together to 7.4 percent.

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to Also cover the Russian producers increased their sales (6.2 percent), especially to the demand in the country. Overall, they decreased however in the global Ranking. In the previous year, the gains had been far greater.

The production ramped up in the past year, especially South Korea, could well increase its share of the total sales of the Top 100 to almost ten percent. Three companies were newly included in the Top 100 list. Sipri compiles an annual list of the largest arms dealers. Not in China, which provides no reliable data available.