Israel becomes world's sixth biggest weapons exporter

Israel is ranked as the world's sixth biggest weapons exporter, according to a ranking issued by the IHS Jane's Company, an information company majoring in the military-defense field, Ha'aretz daily reported on Tuesday.



According to the company's assessment, Israel has sold 2.4 billion US dollars' worth of weapons in 2012. The United States is ranked at the top of the list with weapons deals accumulating to more than 28 billion US dollars in 2012.



The report charges that Israel's defense-related exports grew by 74 percent from 2008 to 2012, mainly due to weapon deals signed with India, one of Israel's biggest weapons client.



The company also charges that Israel is among the world's top exporters of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV).



The report, which has been issued annually since the global economic crisis of 2008, has analyzed 34,000 weapons requisite plans.



According to estimates published in January by the Israeli Defense Ministry, Israel's defense-related exports reached 7 billion US dollars in 2012, a 20 percent increase from the 2011 figures.



According to a report issued by the US Congressional Research Service, Israel's arms exports between 2004 and 2011 culminated with sales worth 12.9 billion dollars.

