UK defence exports fall 21% in 2019

UK defence export orders totalled GBP11 billion (USD14.2 billion) in 2019, a 21% decrease from the previous year, reflecting volatility in the global defence export market, according to UK Defence & Security Exports (UKDSE), which is part of the Department for International Trade.

From 2010 to 2019, the US was the world’s top defence exporter, followed by the UK. (UK Defence & Security Exports)

Despite its decline, the UK accounted for 16% of the global defence export market last year, placing it behind only the US, which had a 47% share, and ahead of Russia’s 11% and France’s 10%, the UKDSE, formerly the Defence & Security Organisation (DSO), wrote in a report released on 6 October.

“Despite no major platform orders in 2019, core business remained strong” in the UK, the report says.

In 2019 the UK’s largest defence export market was the Middle East, followed by Europe and North America. Aerospace remained the UK’s dominant sector.

Globally, the defence export market totalled about USD89 billion in 2019, down from a record-high USD100 billion in 2018.

From 2010–19, the US was the world’s top defence exporter, followed by the UK, Russia, France, Germany, Italy, Israel, Canada, Spain, and Sweden.

“The USA is the world’s pre-eminent defence exporter, having secured more than double the exports (by value) of second-placed UK during the 10-year period,” the report says.

During the same decade, the top defence importer was Saudi Arabia, followed by India, Qatar, Australia, the US, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Canada, Kuwait, and the UK.