Slight reduction in Norwegian weapons exports in 2012

Note that the figures presented in this article are based on reported exports of munitions. These do not take into account any incorrect reporting or illegal trade in weapons, which may be substantial in some countries. This makes it difficult to comment on Norway’s actual position in the world market.

Lower total weapons export

Based on customs declarations, Norwegian exports of military equipment amounted to NOK 2.5 billion in 2012. This was a decrease of NOK 103 million, or about 4 per cent from the previous year. The distribution between the various commodity groups was more or less the same as in 2011. The group military weapons and parts was still the largest, amounting to NOK 1.3 billion in 2012, followed by the group bombs, grenades, torpedoes, mines, rockets and similar military equipment including spare parts at NOK 824 million.

 

 

 

 

US exports continue to fall

Trade with the USA only amounted to less than 20 per cent of the total Norwegian weapons exports in 2012. This was substantially lower than in the period 2004-2010, when the US share fluctuated between 40 and 56 per cent each year. In 2011, the share was halved to a little above 27 per cent and the downward trend continued clearly in 2012. The decline was likely tied to a reduction in US defence spending combined with increased market competition. Military expenses in the USA are expected to fall further in the years ahead. The total export to the USA amounted to almost NOK 490 million in 2012, thus the country was still Norway’s largest weapons trade partner despite the NOK 224 million decline. Trade with other large partners also fell, amongst them Sweden and Germany.

The largest increase in exports was to Chile and Poland, due to new projects and agreements there. The export value to Chile came to almost NOK 300 million, while Poland received military equipment for around NOK 250 million.

Because the export of defence material is usually characterised by large and expensive deliveries, there is often a great deal of variation between commodity groups and destination countries from year to year. In addition, the Norwegian export statistics on military equipment are affected by Norwegian investments in military equipment abroad.

 

 

Delineation of weapons and ammunition

Statistics Norway compiles figures on exports of weapons from customs declarations submitted by exporters. The commodity group ‘tanks, weapons and ammunition’ comprises:

1) Commodity group 87.10 in the Harmonized System (HS):

Armoured fighting vehicles and parts for such vehicles

2) All national commodity codes in HS chapter 93:

Weapons, ammunition and parts

Together these two groups comprise the SITC Rev. 3 and 4 group 891 of the UN classification of goods in external trade.

The statistics include reported goods exported from Norway as ordinary sales and exclude goods in repair trade. Equipment exchanged under military agreements and equipment for national military personnel on duty abroad is exempt from declaration and hence excluded from the statistics.

Note that the statistics on Norwegian exports of weapons and ammunition are not suppressed due to confidentiality.

Other international figures on weapons export

The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute ( SIPRI ) publishes figures where the countries of the world are ranked according to the value of their weapons export. The figures differ from those published by Statistics Norway because the data are collected from different sources: Statistics Norway gets them from reported commodity declarations, while SIPRI uses surveys, media and public documents. The disparity in figures is also due to different definitions, with the SIPRI figures also including war vessels, combat aircraft and technological military equipment.