Israel's defense exports totaled $3 billion in 2003, Ministry of Defense director general Amos Yaron said today at the opening of the Singapore Air Show.
This is the second time that Israel's defense exports exceeded the $2 billion a year target set by the Ministry of Defense over five years ago. Defense exports in 2002 were higher, at $4.1 billion.
Ministry of Defense sources said, "2002 was a unique and exceptionally good year. The $750 million agreement to upgrade Turkish Army tanks was signed that year, boosting the figures."
The most prominent defense deal in 2003 was the sale of Rafael's Spike anti-tank missiles to the Polish Army. Senior Ministry of Defense sources predicted that 2004 would also be a very good year, mostly thanks to the $1.2 billion deal to sell Israel Aircraft Industries' Phalcon intelligence gathering planes to India. The Ministry of Defense predicts that Israel's defense exports will exceed $2.5 billion this year.
The mix of Israeli defense sales is very different that those of other Western countries. In other countries, 80-90% of defense production is for domestic consumption, 80% of Israeli defense production is exported, and only 20% is sold to the IDF and defense establishment.
Published by Globes [online] - www.globes.co.il - on February 24, 2004