The United States tops all countries in several categories, but by far it leads in all things military. The U.S. has the largest defense budget, overtaking the next nine countries combined, and it has the largest arms industry. The world’s top five arms-producing companies — and 42 of the top 100 — are headquartered in the U.S.

The U.S. is also, by far, the world’s largest arms exporter, accounting for nearly 42% of global arms exports and supplying weapons to 109 countries worldwide, according to Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. And U.S. arms exports rose 17% between 2014–18 and 2019–23. So which countries contributed to that growth and bought the most weapons from the U.S.?

To answer that, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed SIPRI’s databases and identified the 25 countries that bought the most weapons from the U.S. from 2019 to 2023. All data is from SIPRI.

While Ukraine may have been the first guess as the country receiving the most U.S. weapons, it is Saudi Arabia that bought the most arms from the U.S. in the past five years. The Kingdom accounted for 15% of U.S. arms exports, while Ukraine accounted for 4.7%. However, as it continues to defend itself from Russia’s invasion with the help of more U.S.-supplied weapons, Ukraine may move up next year to account for more of the weapons the U.S. exports.

What kind of weapons the U.S. is supplying? Eight of the largest deals (and two of the second-largest deals) to the 25 countries on the list are of the F-35A Lightning-2 FGA (fighter ground attack) aircraft. Other aircraft — FGA or others — that are among the largest and second-largest deals among the countries buying the most weapons from the U.S. are the F/A-18E Super Hornet, the F-15 Advanced Eagle, the P-8A Poseidon, and different helicopters.

Other large weapons deals are surface-to-surface missiles (SSM), different rockets and missiles, armored personnel vehicles and carriers, tanks, UAVs, and more. (Also see: These 25 Countries Are Exporting the Most Weapons.)

Why Are We Covering This

Despite global arms transfers actually declining slightly from 2014–18 and 2019–23, U.S. arms exports rose 17% during that time. In the global political climate, it is interesting to see which countries receive the most U.S. arms exports and how these deals impact the global arms trade.

25. Sweden

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• Sweden’s military expenditure, 2023: $8.8 billion — or 1.47% of Sweden’s GDP

24. New Zealand

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: anti-ship missile/SSM — new Harpoon Block-2
• New Zealand’s military expenditure, 2023: $3.0 billion — or 1.22% of New Zealand’s GDP

23. Singapore

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: transport helicopter — new CH-47F Chinook
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: UAV — new RQ-4A Global Hawk
• Singapore’s military expenditure, 2023: $13.2 billion — or 2.66% of Singapore’s GDP

22. Germany

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 0.9%
• Largest weapons deal with US: guided rocket — new GMLRS
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-16V Viper
• Germany’s military expenditure, 2023: $66.8 billion — or 1.52% of Germany’s GDP

21. Denmark

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.0%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: BVRAAM — new AIM-120C AMRAAM
• Denmark’s military expenditure, 2023: $8.1 billion — or 1.95% of Denmark’s GDP

20. Romania

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• Romania’s military expenditure, 2023: $5.6 billion — or 1.61% of Romania’s GDP

19. Afghanistan

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: APV — new HMMWV-UA
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: transport helicopter — second hand but modernized S-70 Black Hawk
• Afghanistan’s military expenditure, 2021: $0.3 billion — or 1.83% of Afghanistan’s GDP

18. Taiwan

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.2%
• Largest weapons deal with US: APC/IFV — new Namer
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: turbofan — new CF6
• Taiwan’s military expenditure, 2023: $16.6 billion — or 2.17% of Taiwan’s GDP

17. Morocco

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.3%
• Largest weapons deal with US: tank — new M-1A1 Abrams
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: SAM — new ESSM Block-2
• Morocco’s military expenditure, 2023: $5.2 billion — or 3.64% of Morocco’s GDP

16. Bahrain

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.5%
• Largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: combat helicopter — new AH-1Z Viper
• Bahrain’s military expenditure, 2023: $1.4 billion — or 3.11% of Bahrain’s GDP

15. Poland

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 1.7%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: guided rocket — new GMLRS
• Poland’s military expenditure, 2023: $31.6 billion — or 3.83% of Poland’s GDP

14. Italy

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 2.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35B Lightning-2
• Italy’s military expenditure, 2023: $35.5 billion — or 1.61% of Italy’s GDP

13. India

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: combat helicopter — new AH-64E Apache
• India’s military expenditure, 2023: $83.6 billion — or 2.44% of India’s GDP

12. UAE

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.2%
• Largest weapons deal with US: ABM missile — new MIM-104 PAC-3 MSE
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: SSM — new ATACMS Block-1A
• UAE’s military expenditure, 2023: N/A

11. Norway

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.4%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• Norway’s military expenditure, 2023: $8.7 billion — or 1.61% of Norway’s GDP

10. Israel

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 3.6%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: APC/IFV — new Namer
• Israel’s military expenditure, 2023: $27.5 billion — or 5.32% of Israel’s GDP

9. Kuwait

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 4.5%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F/A-18E Super Hornet
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: tank — new M-1A2S Abrams
• Kuwait’s military expenditure, 2023: $7.8 billion — or 4.90% of Kuwait’s GDP

8. Netherlands

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 4.6%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: transport helicopter — new CH-47F Chinook
• Netherlands’s military expenditure, 2023: $16.6 billion — or 1.53% of Netherlands’s GDP

7. Ukraine

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 4.7%
• Largest weapons deal with US: guided rocket — second hand GMLRS
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: loitering munition — new Phoenix Ghost
• Ukraine’s military expenditure, 2023: $64.8 billion — or 36.65% of Ukraine’s GDP

6. United Kingdom

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 5.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35B Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• United Kingdom’s military expenditure, 2023: $74.9 billion — or 2.26% of United Kingdom’s GDP

5. South Korea

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 5.3%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• South Korea’s military expenditure, 2023: $47.9 billion — or 2.81% of South Korea’s GDP

4. Australia

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 7.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: ASW aircraft — new P-8A Poseidon
• Australia’s military expenditure, 2023: $32.3 billion — or 1.92% of Australia’s GDP

3. Qatar

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 8.2%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-15 Advanced Eagle
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: APC/IFV — new Namer
• Qatar’s military expenditure, 2022: $15.4 billion — or 6.96% of Qatar’s GDP

2. Japan

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 9.5%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-35A Lightning-2
• Japan’s military expenditure, 2023: $50.2 billion — or 1.20% of Japan’s GDP

1. Saudi Arabia

• Share of U.S. arms exports, 2019-2023: 15.1%
• Largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-15 Advanced Eagle
• 2nd largest weapons deal with US: FGA aircraft — new F-15 Advanced Eagle
• Saudi Arabia’s military expenditure, 2023: $75.8 billion — or 7.09% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP

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