US sold arms to at least 98 countries, far more than any other major supplier

People protest in London against the official three-day visit by Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Saudi Arabia is a big arms buyer. Photo / AP

The United States has cemented its position as the world's top weapons seller during the past five years, providing about a third of global arms, a Swedish- based research institute says.

In its latest overview of global arms transfers, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) estimated that the global volume of arms transfers increased by 10 per cent in the 2013-2017 period, compared to 2008-2012.

The US accounted for 34 per cent of global arms sales during the period - up from 30 per cent in the 2008-2012 period.

The US sold arms to at least 98 countries, far more than any other major supplier, SIPRI said. A large portion of US exports comprised combat and transport aircraft.

Just under half of the US sales went to the Middle East, while Asia accounted for a third. Saudi Arabia was the single-most important US market, accounting for 18 per cent of US sales.

Like other main exporters, the US uses arms deals as a foreign policy tool, SIPRI said.

Some deals that contributed to the US upswing were inked during the previous Obama Administration. "These deals and further major contracts signed in 2017 will ensure that the US remains the largest arms exporter in the coming years," Aude Fleurant, head of SIPRI's arms and military expenditure programme said.

Russia was the second-largest exporter with one-fifth of global arms deliveries, shipping weapons to 47 countries as well as rebel forces in Ukraine, the think-tank said.

Over half of Russia's exports went to India, China and Vietnam.

France was the third largest exporter with a 6.7 per cent share of global sales, followed by Germany and China.

Five countries - India, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and China - accounted for about a third of global arms imports.

- DPA, AAP