In the 2023 fiscal year, America exported $80.9 billion through government arms transfers and the selling of defense services. This number represents a 55% increase from the $51.9 billion exported in 2022.
Commercial arms sales by American defense manufacturers, which do not require government approval, also reached a high of $157.5 billion.
A statement from the State Department read “In FY2023 the total value of transferred defense articles and services and security cooperation activities conducted under the Foreign Military Sales system was $80.9 billion. This represents a 55.9% increase, up from $51.9 billion in FY2022. This is the highest annual total of sales and assistance provided to our allies and partners.”
American policymakers have recently upped the ante in their defense exports, intending to drive Russia out of the arms export industry. American leaders have also repeatedly encouraged allied states to buy American weapons instead of Russian arms.
“We see that because Russia’s defense industry is denied the resources that come from exports, that helps to contribute to Russian strategic failure on the battlefield,” said Mira Resnick, at the State Department’s Office of Regional Security and Arms Transfers.