Study shows armed UAV exports limited despite demand

photo UK MoD

March 19, 2015 By: Beth Stevenson – FG

London - An arms transfer study from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) claims that only the UK and Nigeria have been the recipients of armed unmanned air vehicles, despite “widespread interest” in their acquisition.

The numbers of importers and exporters of both armed and unarmed UAVs has “grown significantly” over the past 15 years, SIPRI says, and between the period of 2010 to 2014, 35 countries and the UN acquired 429 UAVs that weigh more than 25kg.

The USA and Israel are the main suppliers, although Austria, France, Germany, Iran, Italy, South Africa and Sweden all exported UAVS, says SIPRI in its “Trends in International Arms Transfers, 2014” paper, released on 16 March.

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