UNSC permanent members continue to dominate global arms market

YUSUF SELMAN İNANÇ @yusufsinanc
ISTANBUL

A recent report released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) reveals that the permanent members of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), which holds veto power, are single-handedly dominating the global arms market.

Sales of arms and military services in 2015 totaled some $370 billion, excluding that of China’s.

The U.S., despite a decline over previous years, hit sales of over $209 billion, carving up some 56 percent of the global market. The U.K. racked up 10 percent, while Russia grabbed 8.1 percent of total sales. Meanwhile, France had 5 percent of global sales, making it the fourth biggest arms seller in the world.

“Western companies monopolize the top 12 positions in the ranking of top exporters with U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin leading with $36.4 billion in revenues, followed by another U.S. defense and aerospace giant, Boeing, with $28 billion, while Britain’s BAE Systems had sales of $25.5 billion,” the report reveals. “Even though, total sales fell by some 0.6 percent, dropping for the fifth consecutive year, the amount has reached $370.7 billion,” SIPRI said.

READ MORE HERE:   http://www.dailysabah.com/defense/2016/12/08/unsc-permanent-members-continue-to-dominate-global-arms-market

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