Israeli military and security exports increase sharply

The Israeli Defence Ministry announced on Tuesday that military and security exports over the past year recorded an increase of nearly $2 billion over the previous year. Figures released by the ministry showed that exports worth $5.8 billion left Israel in 2011 but that went up to $7.5 billion in 2012.

Military specialists IHS Jane’s ranked Israel sixth in the world for weapons sales in 2012, ahead of Italy, China, Canada and Sweden. Analysts put Israel second only to the United States for sales of Unmanned Aircraft Vehicles (UAVs). By next year, however, they predict that Israeli exports of UAVs will outstrip those of the US by more than two to one.