Middle East Defense Sector Shines with Nine Firms in SIPRI Top 100

The Middle East defense industry is making significant strides, with a record nine firms featured in the **Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s** (SIPRI) latest **Top 100 arms producers and military service providers** report. This year’s edition, released on **March 11, 2024**, highlights an impressive growth trajectory, with these companies collectively generating approximately **$31 billion** in revenue for the year.

Regional Breakdown of Defense Firms

Among the nine companies, **Turkey** leads with five firms, followed by **Israel** with three, and the **United Arab Emirates** with one. The growth in this sector is largely attributed to escalating global conflicts, particularly the ongoing wars in **Gaza** and **Ukraine**, which have driven a surge in arms revenues.

**Elbit Systems**, the top-ranked firm from Israel, secured the **25th** position on the list, reporting **$6.3 billion** in arms sales for 2024, a notable increase from **$5.5 billion** in 2023. The report indicates that the three Israeli firms combined achieved a **16 percent** revenue increase, totaling **$16.2 billion**. SIPRI attributes this rise to Israel’s military operations in Gaza and the high demand for advanced military equipment, including drones and counter-drone technology.

In the rankings, **Israel Aerospace Industries** placed **31st**, while **Rafael** followed closely at **34th**. Meanwhile, the **EDGE Group**, a state-owned defense conglomerate from the UAE, ranked **37th** with **$4.7 billion** in arms sales. Notably, EDGE’s inclusion in the Top 100 comes after being previously excluded due to insufficient publicly available data. The company recently announced a landmark defense export agreement with Indonesia worth an estimated **$7 billion** during the **Dubai Airshow**.

Turkey’s Growing Defense Presence

Turkey’s presence in the SIPRI Top 100 is not new, but this marks the first year that five Turkish firms have made the list, reflecting a total arms revenue of **$10.1 billion** for 2024, an **11 percent** increase from the previous year. **Aselsan**, one of Turkey’s leading defense companies, ranked **47th** with a remarkable **24 percent** increase in revenue, reaching **$3.5 billion**. The report notes that this surge was primarily driven by a **65 percent** rise in exports.

**Baykar**, known for its unmanned aircraft, faced a slight decline in revenue to **$1.9 billion**, largely due to reduced demand following previous highs linked to drone sales to Ukraine. Despite this, **95 percent** of Baykar’s revenue came from exports. Other Turkish firms included in the Top 100 are **Turkish Aerospace Industries**, ranking **65th**, and **Roketsan**, which placed **87th**.

Beyond the Middle East, the SIPRI report indicates a broader global increase in revenues among firms in the Top 100. This trend reflects a concerted effort by these companies to expand their production capacity to meet the rising demand for defense platforms.

The growing presence of Middle Eastern firms in the defense sector underscores a significant shift in regional capabilities and highlights the evolving dynamics of global arms production. As conflicts continue to shape the landscape, the implications for both regional and global security remain profound.