The Diplomat
The value of exports made by Spain of defence material reached €3,290.2 million last year, 9.1% less than the €3,622.4 million in 2020, according to a report by the Secretariat of State for Trade.
The report on exports of defence and dual-use material for the year 2021, to which Europa Press had access, was sent to the Congress of Deputies and it shows that half of the sales were destined for European Union and NATO countries, although also places like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Morocco or Algeria.
All these exports pass through the filter of the Interministerial Board for the Trade and Control of Defence Materiel and Dual-Use Technologies (JIMDDU) and the different international regulations, according to the report.
Spanish arms exports to neighbouring countries were mainly distributed among France (654.3 million), Germany (432.6 million) and the Netherlands (407.6 million), concentrated in transfers of products, equipment and technology within existing cooperation programmes in the field of defence.
In addition, Spanish companies sold 109.1 million euros worth of arms to Saudi Arabia, which is involved in the war in Yemen. These were mainly parts and spare parts for Spanish-made aircraft, equipment, technology, troop transport boats, mortar shells and 155 mm artillery shells.
Spain also exported defence material to neighbouring countries such as the United Arab Emirates, where 73.7 million euros were sold for a transport aircraft, parts and spare parts, combat limpet mines, remote control systems for weapons of various calibres and a 120 mm mortar; Qatar (2.4 million euros) and Kuwait (2.3 million euros for grenade launchers).
During 2021, arms exports also reached North African countries. Morocco received material worth 14.9 million in parts and spare parts for Spanish-made transport aircraft, mortars with accessories and spare parts and 91 transport vehicles (11.7 million euros).
There were also exports to Algeria worth 7.2 million in parts and spare parts for transport aircraft, mine protection assemblies for military vehicles and remote control systems for 12.7 mm weapons.
