Israel – a militarised state
Expenditure on arms and security
US$ billions, 2000–2020
Israel is the fifth largest military spender in the world in terms of share of GDP
Israel – the world’s biggest small state arms dealer
In 2020 Israel was the world’s 12th largest exporter of arms
Top 12 by exports
Volume of arms transfers (TIV* in millions)
But relative to its size, Israel is the world’s number one arms dealer.
Top 12 by exports per capita
Volume of arms transfers (TIV*) per 1000 capita
80 percent of Israeli military production is exported. Weapons make up 25 percent of Israel’s total industrial exports.
*TIV is SIPRI’s measurement for ams transfers known as Trend Indicator Values
Israel’s occupation and wars create a big market
Since Israel’s 2008 Operation Cast Lead in Gaza, Israel has exported arms to more than 65 countries in the world.
Arms exports from Israel
Volume of arms exports (TIV* in millions), 2008–2020
*TIV is SIPRI’s measurement for ams transfers known as Trend Indicator Values
Weapon export categories
Top 5 Israeli military and security companies
Products: Aircraft, helicopters, drones, ships, land vehicles, border systems, command / control / communication / computer / intelligence (C4I) systems, electro-optic systems, electronic warfare (EW), signal intelligence (SIGINT) systems, guns, bombs, missiles and armoured vehicles
Ranking: 28th worldwide. Israel’s largest arms producer.
Sales: $4.7 billion (2020); 16,575 employees
Subsidiaries: Israeli Military Industries (IMI), Elop Electro-Optics, Elbit Land and C4I, Elisra EW & SIGINT
Products: Satellites and space systems, missiles, aircrafts, drones, radar and electronic intelligence, command and control systems, cyber, robotics.
Ranking: 39th worldwide ( 2018).
Sales: $4.2 billion (2020); state-owned; 15,000 employees
Subsidiaries: Bedek Aviation, Elta Systems
Products: Underwater, naval, land, and air and space systems, focusing on EW, C4I, training and simulators, armor, precision-guided weapon systems and anti-missile defense systems.
Ranking: 44
Sales: $2.6 billion (2018); 7,000 employees; state-owned
Subsidiaries: Ashot Ashkelon, IMI Academy for Advanced Security & Anti-terror Training
Products: Small arms (Uzi and Negev sub-machine gun), sniper and assault rifles, pistols
SK Group, a private holding company specializing in defense, para-military & marine infrastructures has acquired a number of prominent Israeli companies including:
- Israel Weapon Industries – guns, small arms
- Meprolight – optical sights for guns
- Camerotech – surveillance cameras
- Uni-scope optical systems
- Israel shipyard limited
Sales: Privately owned company (not known). 2000 employees.
Services: Private security, armed courier, surveillance, patrol
The private Israeli security group is one of the largest security companies in Israel. Along with Sheleg Lavan, Modi’in Ezrachi was contracted by the Israeli Ministry of Defense to operate privatized checkpoints along the Separation Wall.
Sales: $168m (2017); 1000+ employees
Subsidiaries: Moked Modi’in Ezrachi, Modi’in Ezrachi Secured Courier