3. Boeing
Falls from 1st place
Boeing is the only one of the top 20 arms producers to experience a decrease in arms sales in 2008. However, the decrease was marginal—from $30 billion in 2007 to $29 billion in 2008 —and was caused by events particular to 2008. The factors contributing to the decrease in Boeing’s arms sales in 2008 include:
- Sales by Boeing’s Integrated Defense Systems unit remained level, with decreases in its Military Aircraft and Network and Space Systems programmes offset by increased sales by its Global Services and Support unit.
- A major strike at the company earlier in the year pushed arms sales down slightly; Boeing’s commercial (non-military) sales were more deeply affected.
- Another cause of the decrease was higher costs for the Airborne Early Warning and Control Aircraft announced in the second quarter of 2008.
Boeing is one of only six of the Top 100 arms producers whose arms sales decreased in 2008, a sign of the general resilience of the arms industry.
