US arms exports increased by 49 percent in fiscal year 2022

(Patria) - Sales of American military equipment to foreign governments increased by 49 percent to $205.6 billion in the last fiscal year, the US State Department announced.

Approved sales in the year included $13.9 billion worth of F-15ID fighter jets to Indonesia, $6.9 billion worth of multi-purpose combat ships to Greece, and $6 billion worth of M1A2 Abrams tanks to Poland, Reuters reports.

General Dynamics Corp produces the Abrams tank, Boeing produces the F-15 aircraft, and Lockheed Martin Corp makes the ships.

There are two main ways foreign governments purchase weapons from American companies: direct commercial sales negotiated between the government and the company, and foreign military sales where a foreign government typically contacts a Department of Defense official at the US embassy in its capital. Both require US government approval. Direct military sales by American companies increased by 48.6 percent to $153.7 billion in fiscal year 2022 from $103 billion in fiscal year 2021, while sales contracted through the US government increased by 49.1 percent to $51.9 billion in 2022 from $34.8 billion the previous year, the State Department said.

Total sales of American military equipment in the previous fiscal year amounted to $138 billion.