Buying US Fighter Jets For IDR160 Trillion, The Import Of This Nation's Weapons Increases 361 Percent, Higher Than Saudi Arabia

JAKARTA - For the first time in a decade, global arms sales during 2016-2020 were flat after having always shown an increase.

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said in a report on Monday that these conditions ended the rise in global arms sales that had occurred during the previous 10 years.

"The United States (US), France, and Germany, the three biggest exporters, increased shipments. However, the decline in exports from Russia and China offset the increase", said SIPRI.

"This is the first time since 2001-2005 that the volume of major arms shipments between countries, which is an indicator of demand, has not increased from the previous five years", continued SIPRI.

While the COVID-19 pandemic has killed economies around the world and pushed many countries into a deep recession, SIPRI said it was too early to say whether the slowdown in arms deliveries would continue.

"The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic could lead some countries to reassess their arms imports in the coming years", said Pieter Wezeman, a senior researcher at the SIPRI Arms and Military Expenditure Program.

"However, at the same time, even at the peak of the pandemic in 2020, several countries signed large contracts for primary weapons", he added.

The United Arab Emirates, for example, recently signed an agreement with the United States to purchase 50 F-35 jets and up to 18 armed drones as part of a USD 23 billion purchase package.

Middle Eastern countries are the largest contributors to the increase in the value of imported weapons, reaching 25 percent in 2016-2020 compared to the 2011-2015 period.

Saudi Arabia, the world's biggest arms importer, increased its arms imports by 61 percent and Qatar by 361 percent.

One of Qatar's important purchases was when it bought 36 F-15QA advanced fighter jets from the United States for 12 trillion US dollars or approximately IDR 160 trillion (at that time) in 2017. The purchases were made when neighboring countries imposed an embargo on Qatar over accusations of financing terrorism. The F-15QA fighter jet is the Qatari version of the advanced F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet.

The following year, after buying various types of weapons from Russia, Qatar also planned to buy the S-400 missile air defense system. A plan that caused a stir, because it reaped reactions from Saudi Arabia to the United States.

Asia and Oceania are the largest major arms importing regions, receiving 42 percent of global arms transfers in 2016-20. India, Australia, China, South Korea, and Pakistan are the largest importers in the region.

"For many countries in Asia and Oceania, a growing perception of China as a threat is a major driver of arms imports", said SIPRI senior researcher Siemon Wezeman.