Related commentary:

The EU's attempt to fight the economic crisis by shifting research money to the defence sector is highly questionable.

Germany is, once again, debating the future of its arms industry, with long-held state support for arms production within Germany appearing to crumble.

The arms race to the bottom—when states willingly arm themselves even when evidence suggests they should disarm—has begun to shape states' military spending.

Western governments and defence companies are adapting to the effects of the 2008 economic crisis by devising new strategies to increase international arms sales.

Arms production was the backbone of the Soviet-type command economy systems in East Central Europe (ECE), but with the collapse of the Eastern bloc, arms makers faced a drastic disruption in their economic, political and social environment.

The military is often one of the most corrupt sectors of government, with arms procurement particularly susceptible to corruption. Avoiding this requires transparency and accountability in military spending.

This topical backgrounder puts a spotlight on armament developments in Saudi Arabia, the country with the highest levels of military spending and arms imports in the Middle East. It aims to contribute to the efforts by SIPRI to gain a better understanding of the impact of militarization on security, conflict, peace and development in the region.