Overview

• US arms exports reached a record high of $238 billion in 2023, a 16% increase from 2022, driven by the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and global instability.
• Government-brokered sales accounted for $81 billion, a 56% increase from the previous year, with Poland, Germany, Australia, and the Czech Republic among the biggest buyers.
• Poland made some of the largest purchases, including Apache helicopters for $12 billion, High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems for $10 billion, and M1A1 Abrams tanks for $3.75 billion.
• The surge in sales is seen as evidence of the failing Russian defense industry, which is being cut off from its own weapons trade.
• US President Joe Biden has argued that US support in Ukraine boosts the domestic economy through arms sales.