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Israeli arms sales hit new record

12 April 2022 08:13 (UTC +04:00)

Annual Israeli arms sales reached a new record in 2021, according to Defense Ministry figures released Tuesday, with officials citing a sharp increase in demand for Israeli-made weapons, APA reports citing Times of Israel.

The ministry’s International Defense Cooperation Directorate, known as SIBAT, said defense exports totaled $11.3 billion last year, up from $8.3 billion in 2020. Exports previously hit a record high of $9.2 billion in 2017 owing to several large deals.

“Israel’s defense exports have reached double-digit figures for the first time, reaching a 55 percent increase within two years,” Brig. Gen. (Res.) Yair Kulas, the head of SIBAT, told reporters on Monday.

“Demand for Israeli defense products has risen in the past year, manifesting in the sharp increase in transactions between countries, among other things,” Kulas added.