Australia is among the five largest importers of arms, globally. In 2021, Australia spent the equivalent of US$1.235 billion on the legal import of weaponry, according to an assessment by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, making the peaceful nation the world’s number one importer of deadly capability.
In exercising its sovereign right and responsibility to provide security, Australia can legitimately acquire and employ a range of weaponry. These include weapons designed for warfare, such as submarines, battle tanks, armoured combat vehicles, large-calibre artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles and missile launchers. They also include small arms and light weapons. Arms are traded around the world in eye-watering numbers. In 2021, world military expenditure reportedly reached US$2.113 trillion. The constant demand for weapons has resulted in a vast global arms economy.
The United States, China, India, the United Kingdom and Russia were the five largest spenders on their military in 2021, together accounting for 62 percent of expenditure. In the period 2017-21, the five largest exporters were the US, Russia, France, China and Germany, accounting together for 77 per cent of all arms exports. Apart from Australia, the five largest importers of arms during that period were India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and China, collectively responsible for 38 per cent of total global arms imports.
