Gulf states have traditionally been keen buyers of western, mainly US, military equipment. A number of possible recent programmes and ongoing procurement processes demonstrate the demand and possible reliance on external industrial capabilities to meet internal demands.
In April 2018 the US president signed a national security policy memorandum announcing a revised conventional arms transfer (CAT) policy in a bid to increase defence exports. Globally, FMS sales figures hit just short of $42 billion in 2017, a figure comfortably surpassed in the first seven and a half months of 2018.
However, away from the big tickets items and prospects for
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The initial document focused more on creating the right partnerships and inspiring investment in defence than on any details of how future UK Armed Forces would be armed.
The first stage of developing a new UK Defence Industrial Strategy has highlighted failings in current structures with solutions expected to be proposed in next year’s full strategy.
Romania joined NATO more than two decades ago and the country is vital to the alliance’s geographic reach and its ability to supply Ukraine with weapons.
Although Trump’s geopolitics policy for Europe remains unclear, defence analysts from the US and Europe predict how his incoming administration would attempt to handle critical issues on the continent.
The UK budget announced in Parliament on 30 October was the first by a Labour government in 14 years which has also launched a review into defence procurement programmes.
The Australian government has placed a focus on Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (GWEO) which has included the purchase of additional long-range rocket systems and investments in local production of missiles.
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