June 10, 2007:
Spain is
rapidly becoming a major weapons exporting nation. Last year, Spanish defense
sales were $1.1 billion, compared to a year earlier, when they were only $545
million. Currently, about $50 billion worth of weapons are exported each year
by all arms producing nations. The top five arms exporting nations are the
U.S., Russia, Britain, France and Israel, and they account for about two-thirds
of those export (with American exports being about three times those of
Israel). Most of Spains exports are warships (surface ships and subs).