Iron Dome
Photo: AFP
2012 record breaking year for arms export
Weeks after budget cuts, Defense Ministry reveals Israel's arms export totaled $7.4 billion last year
Israel's
export of defense-related products registered an all time record in 2012 totaling $7.4 billion, compared to $5.8 billion in 2011, according to Defense Ministry
data.
The main export destinations were markets in Asia and the Pacific Ocean. The two most lucrative deals were the sale of a satellite and advanced spy planes to Italy.
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Shmaya Avieli, head of the Foreign Defense Assistance and Defense Export Department estimated that export in 2013 will total some $4.3 billion adding that Israel is considering new deals with Turkey. "We never halted transactions with Turkey," he said.
Despite the surge in export, 2012 saw a decrease in the revenues of small and medium industries which totaled $500 million.
According to the Defense Ministry, this is the result of a global trend of growing reliance on local industries, particularly in Asia and South America.
The defense establishment admitted to difficulties in marketing various components of the Iron Dome system. "We are making efforts to market them as well as a system that intercepts anti-tank missiles. We have to be patient," Avieli said.
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