Based on calculations of new orders from
Israeli defense companies, the export totals for 2010
exceeded $7.3 billion and will probably match those of
2009 once figures for support and follow-on contracts
are finalized.
Some
80 percent of all Israeli defense production is sold on
the export market. The country's export order totals have
steadily grown, reaching $3.5 billion in 2005, $4.9 billion
in 2006, $5.6 billion in 2007, and $6.6 billion in 2008.
But
Israeli defense officials warn that such steady growth
may come to a halt in the coming years as relations with
once-dependable customer Turkey are strained and European
nations continue to slice defense spending.
While
India and North America constitute Israel's largest defense
trading partners, U.S. military demand is expected to
slow in the face of debt pressures, and Israel's growing
diplomatic isolation may serve to erode sales opportunities
abroad.