Weapons in Germany

Chronicle

2022: German military equipment exports fall by €1bn

At the end of 2022, the volume of exports of military equipment from Germany amounted to approximately €8.36 billion. For comparison: a year earlier, the figure was €9.35 billion. Thus, the fall in exports amounted to about €1 billion, as reported by the German Federal Ministry of Economy and Climate Protection in early January 2023.

It is said that in 2022, licenses for the export of combat weapons accounted for €3.96 billion, other military equipment - €4.4 billion. The lion's share of the total amount - €7.54 billion out of €8.36 billion - was made up of licenses intended for partner countries and to support Ukraine. In other words, exports to these regions accounted for about 90% of the total amount of shipments. More than a quarter of all licenses, or about €2.24 billion euros, are for Ukraine.

Exports of military equipment from Germany for the year fell by 1 billion euros

Licenses for the countries of the European Union, NATO and equivalent states in total provided €5.1 billion. Of these, €2.64 billion is military weapons, and €2.48 billion is other military equipment.

Third countries combined in 2022 received military products from Germany for €825 million. It is noted that restrictive measures are applied to such customers in accordance with political principles. In addition, Germany is developing a law on control over the export of military equipment: the project is planned to be coordinated in the federal government. The law aims, among other things, to ensure that "weapons do not fall into the hands of countries that systematically violate human rights." The German federal government is also committed to strengthening military cooperation in Europe.

According to estimates by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Germany is in fifth place in the world in terms of arms supplies. The country in 2018-2022 accounted for 4.2% of the total mass of weapons shipped globally.^[1]

2021: Germany puts record volume of military weapons abroad

In 2021, Germany exported military weapons worth €1.51 billion, which was a record figure. This was reported by Der Spiegel at the end of April 2022 with reference to the German Ministry of Economy and Climate Protection.

More than 60% of the weapons went to non-NATO countries, the European Union and comparable countries. Supplies to third countries are particularly controversial as some have come under fire for human rights abuses or are involved in regional conflicts.

Germany has delivered a record volume of military weapons abroad

In 2021, the ten main countries receiving weapons from Germany were Egypt Israel Qatar,,,,,. And Turkey Great Britain Norway also to the countries of the European Union -,,,. Italy Netherlands Latvia Austria

The fact that Turkey is one of the largest recipients of German military weapons, despite the invasion of Iraq, Syria and Libya in violation of international law. In addition, it is worth taking into account military threats against Greece and Cyprus, makes any references to the value-oriented foreign policy of the German government a simple farce, "said Bundestag deputy Sevim Dagdelen.

According to this, the cost of supplying military weapons increased in 2021 for the third year in a row and amounted to €1.51 billion. In 2020, exports to Germany worth €1.38 billion were recorded.

German exports of military weapons include submarines, tanks and combat aircraft, but not weapons such as armored medical vehicles or small arms. This is due to trade regulation and the Military Arms Control Act in Germany. Arms export reporting includes information on the cost of both weapons systems and individual components for which export licenses are issued.^[2]

2019 Firearms trade on the dark web

Data for 2019

Notes