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The Library of Congress

CRS Report for Congress

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Order Code RL32547

Conventional Arms Transfers toDeveloping Nations, 1996-2003

August 26, 2004

Richard F. GrimmettSpecialist in National DefenseForeign Affairs, Defense, and Trade Division

Conventional Arms Transfers to Developing Nations,1996-2003

Summary

This report is prepared annually to provide unclassified quantitative data onconventional arms transfers to developing nations by the United States and foreigncountries for the preceding eight calendar years. Some general data are provided onworldwide conventional arms transfers, but the principal focus is the level of armstransfers by major weapons suppliers to nations in the developing world.Developing nations continue to be the primary focus of foreign arms salesactivity by weapons suppliers. During the years 1996-2003, the value of armstransfer agreements with developing nations comprised 63.9% of all such agreementsworldwide. More recently, arms transfer agreements with developing nationsconstituted 60.4% of all such agreements globally from 2000-2003, and 53.6% of these agreements in 2003.The value of all arms transfer

agreements

with developing nations in 2003 wasover $13.7 billion. This was a substantial decrease over 2002, and the lowest total,in real terms, for the entire period from 1996-2003. In 2003, the value of all arms

deliveries

to developing nations was nearly $17 billion, the lowest total in deliveriesvalues for the entire period from 1996-2003 (in constant 2003 dollars).Recently, from 2000-2003, the United States and Russia have dominated thearms market in the developing world, with the United States ranking first and Russiasecond each of the last four years in the value of arms transfer

agreements

. From2000-2003, the United States made $35.8 billion in arms transfer agreements withdeveloping nations, in

constant

2003 dollars, 46.8% of all such agreements. Russia,the second leading supplier during this period, made over $21 billion in arms transferagreements, or 27.5%.In 2003, the United States ranked first in arms transfer

agreements

withdeveloping nations with over $6.2 billion or 45.4% of these agreements. Russia wassecond with $3.9 billion or 23.4% of such agreements. In 2003, the United Statesranked first in the value of arms

deliveries

to developing nations at $6.3 billion, or37.1% of all such deliveries. The United Kingdom ranked second at $4 billion or23.5% of such deliveries. Russia ranked third at $3.3 billion or 19.4% of suchdeliveries.During the 2000-2003 period, China ranked first among developing nationspurchasers in the value of arms transfer

agreements

, concluding $9.3 billion in suchagreements. The United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) ranked second at $8.1 billion. Egyptranked third at $6.8 billion. In 2003, Egypt ranked first in the value of arms transfer

agreements

among all developing nations weapons purchasers, concluding $1.8billion in such agreements. China ranked second with $1.6 billion in suchagreements. Malaysia ranked third with $1.5 billion.

Contents

Introduction......................................................1Major Findings....................................................3General Trends in Arms Transfers Worldwide.......................3General Trends in Arms Transfers to Developing Nations..............5United States.............................................6Russia...................................................7China...................................................8Major West European Suppliers..............................9Regional Arms Transfer Agreements..............................10Near East...............................................11Asia...................................................11Leading Developing Nations Arms Purchasers......................12Weapons Types Recently Delivered to Near East Nations.............13United States............................................13Russia..................................................13China..................................................13Major West European Suppliers.............................13All Other European Suppliers...............................14All Other Suppliers.......................................14Summary of Data Trends, 1996-2003.................................16Total Developing Nations Arms Transfer Agreement Values...........16Regional Arms Transfer Agreements, 1996-2003....................22Near East...............................................22Latin America...........................................27Africa..................................................27Arms Transfer Agreements With Developing Nations, 1996-2003:Leading Suppliers Compared................................28Arms Transfer Agreements With Developing Nations in 2003:Leading Suppliers Compared................................28Arms Transfer Agreements With Near East 1996-2003:Suppliers And Recipients...................................29Arms Transfers to Developing Nations, 1996-2003:Agreements With Leading Recipients.........................30Arms Transfers to Developing Nations in 2003:Agreements With Leading Recipients.........................31Developing Nations Arms Delivery Values.........................31

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