fact sheet & explainer

Who Arms Israel?

Where are goods for the Israeli military made? And where are they transported from?

Table of contents

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Where are goods for the Israeli military made? And where are they transported from?

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This toolkit is a resource for movements and campaigns working to Stop Arming Israel, offering information on the production and transfer of military goods, suppliers to Israel’s military, and country-specific resources to support local initiatives.

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Israel's arms industry continues to profit from genocide. Israel’s military suppliers remain deeply entrenched in sustaining its war machine. The attacks on Gaza and the West Bank have been fuelled by weapons and technology produced globally, with key contributions from the US, UK, Germany, Canada and Italy. The arms trade with Israel has not stopped and military companies continue to supply the weapons used in devastating attacks. This toolkit provides information on these supply chains, helping workers and community activists take informed action, identify sites that may be in your area, and research further connections to the arms trade. 

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In a time of continued urgency, we must build sustained and strategic action to Stop Arming Israel. Palestinian trade unions and workers have made clear demands: halt arms production and disrupt the supply of military goods to Israel. This toolkit equips movements, trade unions, and organisers with the knowledge needed to take effective action—targeting arms manufacturers, pressuring governments to cut military ties, and mobilising workers along supply chains. 

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Summary 

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The main countries involved in supplying arms and military goods to Israel are the US, Germany, Italy and the UK. This research outline sites connected to production for the Israeli military in different countries and, where possible, identifies where military goods are transported from. 

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Our research identifies companies that produce some of the arms most fundamental to the Israeli military, including Lockheed Martin (prime contractor for the F35 fighter jet), Boeing (manufacturer for many of the guided weapons used by the Israeli military), BAE Systems (a leading supplier for the F35), Leonardo (part of the F35 coalition), Kongsberg Group (which contributes to the F-35, rocket launchers and the Spike missile), Rheinmetall (which contributes to artillery, howitzers and Spike missiles)  and General Dynamics (which makes parts of bombs and armoured vehicles)

Arms production is highly internationalised and many of the most traceable supply chains are for goods such as fighter jets made by international coalitions. These aircraft have been central to the war and bombardment of Gaza – Israel is using “every combat aircraft at its disposal” , including F15s, F16s, F35s and AH-64 Apache helicopters. There are 408 links in the supply chain for the F35, for example: see a list of companies involved here.  

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Inevitably, supply chains are much more complex than this research can account for and many smaller companies are involved. If you use this document as a starting point, you may be able to identify more detailed supply chains. 

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Note on method

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This updated version of the Who Arms Israel guide draws extensively on research produced by Mapping Genocide using the Airframer and Oasis databases, following the methodology outlined here. Their full dataset of companies involved in the F-35, F-16, F-15, Apache AH64 and CH53-K is available here. In the guide below, we have included a selection of these companies for each country, mostly highlighting companies where addresses for specific production sites are available.

When organising based on this information, please ensure the following: 

  1. Check the full dataset to identify all relevant sites that produce parts for the F-35, F-16, F-15, AH64 and CH53-K in your country. 
  2. Once you have identified relevant sites from this guide and the dataset, conduct research to understand if the parts they produce are used in the Israeli version of the weapons system. The Israeli military often customises the aircraft it imports and details available online about the customisation can be crossreferenced against the products made at each site, to ensure that they are used by Israel. 
    1. For instance, Israel currently uses a customised version of the F-35A fighter jet so components specific to the F-35B and F-35C can be excluded, including those specific to vertical take off and landing. 

Domestic military production in Israel

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The violence of the genocide has strained Israel's financial stability. As of October 2024, the direct cost of the war was estimated at 100 billion shekels ($26.3 billion), with projections suggesting it could rise to 250 billion shekels by 2025. This financial burden has led to credit rating downgrades and increased borrowing costs. Israel's debt-to-GDP ratio increased from 62% in the previous year to 67%, and the budget deficit grew to 8.3% of GDP. Foreign direct investment also declined by 29% in 2023, indicating waning investor confidence. 

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The military industry is thriving, however, due to the genocide. A handful of companies dominate the Israeli arms market: Rafael, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Elbit, and Israel Military Industries (IMI), which Elbit acquired in 2018. Rafael is an Israeli-owned government company and is the largest employer in northern Israel; at least half its sales are to the Israeli Ministry of Defense. IAI is wholly owned by the Israeli state and is Israel’s major aerospace and aviation manufacturer. Elbit is the largest private arms company in Israel, and its biggest single customer is the Israeli Ministry of Defense. 

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As a snapshot of their financial performance, Elbit’s revenue for the third quarter of 2024 reached $1.7 billion, compared to $1.5 billion in the same quarter of 2023, with a record backlog of $22.1 billion. As of January 2025, its stock price stood at $261.47. IAI and Rafael are fully owned by the Israeli government, so share prices are not relevant. But IAI reported record-breaking financial performance in the third quarter of 2024, with profits of $122 million, up 60% on the same quarter of 2023, revenues of $1.5bn and an order backlog of $25bn. Rafael reported sales volume in the third quarter of 2024 of  4.5bn shekels (approx. US$1.26bn), an order backlog of 60bn shekels ($16.8bn) and more than half a billion shekels ($155mn) net profit since the start of 2024. 

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Domestic contracts with the Israeli Ministry of Defence

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Since October 2023, Israeli arms companies have oriented their production towards Israeli state needs, including at the expense of overseas customers. Rafael, IAI and Elbit Systems have  delayed the supply of weapons worth over $1.5 billion to their global customers. In the first three months of the genocide, the Israeli Ministry of Defense transferred orders exceeding $2.8bn to these three companies, and similar value orders to hundreds of smaller companies involved in ammunition production. 

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To give some examples of growing contracts for the Israeli arms industry, in January 2025, the Israeli MoD awarded Rafael a contract worth $5.2bn to strengthen the Iron Dome, David’s Sling air defenses and the Iron Beam laser interception system, funded out of the $8.7bn of US military aid approved by Congress in April 2024. In October 2024, Rafael, alongside Elbit Systems, signed a 2 billion shekel ($536 million) deal with Israel's defense ministry to expand production of the Iron Beam, a laser-based missile defense system designed to counter rockets, drones, and cruise missiles. And in collaboration with Raytheon, Rafael announced the establishment of a missile production facility in Arkansas, USA, to manufacture the Tamir missile for the Iron Dome and its U.S. variant, SkyHunter. In December 2024, IAI signed a multi-billion shekel deal with the Israeli government to provide Arrow 3 interceptor missiles. In January 2025, the Israeli government signed a $275 million agreement with Elbit to domestically produce heavy bombs and raw materials, reducing reliance on imports and boosting operational resilience.

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The main countries involved in supplying arms and military goods to Israel are the US, Germany, Italy and the UK. This research outline sites connected to production for the Israeli military in different countries and, where possible, identifies where military goods are transported from. 

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Our research identifies companies that produce some of the arms most fundamental to the Israeli military, including Lockheed Martin (prime contractor for the F-35 fighter jet), Boeing (manufacturer for many of the guided weapons used by the Israeli military), BAE Systems (a leading supplier for the F-35), Leonardo (part of the F-35 coalition), Kongsberg Group (which contributes to the F-35, rocket launchers and the Spike missile), Rheinmetall (which contributes to artillery, howitzers and Spike missiles)  and General Dynamics (which makes parts of bombs and armoured vehicles)

Arms production is highly internationalised and many of the most traceable supply chains are for goods such as fighter jets made by international coalitions. These aircraft have been central to the war and bombardment of Gaza – Israel is using “every combat aircraft at its disposal” , including F15s, F16s, F35s and AH-64 Apache helicopters. There are 408 links in the supply chain for the F35, for example: see a list of companies involved here.  

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Inevitably, supply chains are much more complex than this research can account for and many smaller companies are involved. If you use this document as a starting point, you may be able to identify more detailed supply chains. 

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The USA 

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The USA is Israel’s largest weapons supplier, supplying over 90 per cent of its arms imports.  The USA gives Israel almost $4bn in military aid annually, “including about $500mn for air and missile defences.” Israel also spends heavily on US weapons, having purchased roughly $53.5bn of military goods from the US over the past seven decades according to the Defense Security Cooperation Agency, including $6.5bn in the five years to 2022. Israel has made some of these purchases using military aid received from the US. For a list of all arms export licenses agreed through the US Foreign Military Sales Programme, including the primary contractors and sites, see here (NB: not all of these agreements have resulted in exports).

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The biggest US arms companies are Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, Boeing, Northrop Grumman and General Dynamics. These companies are international and have subsidiaries overseas.  

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Some of the most significant weapons made in the US for Israel include:

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The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter 

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Israel has ordered 75 F-35 fighter jets, and had taken delivery of 36 by the end of 2022. They are based at the Nevatim Air Base in southern Israel. In 2021, the IOF said that it had used F-35s in combat for the first time in Gaza. The F-35 is an international collaboration - other country profiles below include examples of where F35 parts are made. Israel has also developed its own technologies for modifying some elements of the F-35. 

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There are US manufacturing locations for the F-35 in at least twenty four different states. The list below only includes examples of companies for which we have established F-35 manufacturing sites. A fuller dataset which includes a wider list of companies in the F-35 programme is available here. The list below relates to all variants of the F-35. The F-35A is the variant transferred to Israel and in some cases adapted (e.g. Israel inserts its own electronic warfare systems) The F-35 B and C variants are not transferred to Israel. For any organising at specific sites, further research needs to confirm that the location contributes to the F-35A variant. 

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A new report from Project Ploughshares examines the F-35 global supply chain via contract data published by the US Department of the Treasury. Most of the production for Israel’s F-35s can be tied to approximately six contracts and more than 36,000 individual sub-awards granted to 609 manufacturers in at least 14 countries. As F-35s are produced in batches or “lots” destined for multiple recipients, it is not possible to identify production specifically for Israeli F35s. Further research is needed to cross-check and integrate the information analyzed by Project Ploughshares and the information presented below. In particular, the Ploughshares report covers first level sub-contracts, so some of the companies listed below but not featuring in the Ploughshares report might be second or lower level suppliers. For the full Ploughshares datasets, contact Kelsey Gallagher on kgallagher@ploughshares.ca.

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See here for a list of known production sites in the USA. 

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F-15 fighter aircraft
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Israel is currently negotiating orders for the F15EX fighter jet through the US Foreign Military Sales Programme. According to reporting on the process, Israel’s formal request makes delivery likely by 2028. 

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Israel already uses F-15s from previous orders which rely on a continuous supply of spare parts for their use in war. 

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See here for a list of known locations of F-15 production in the USA

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Military helicopters
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US manufacturing sites for military helicopters used by the IOF include:

Apache AH-64 helicopter 

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See here for a list of known US production sites for the Apache AH-64 helicopter.

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Chinook CH-53K helicopter 

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CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters, seen to be used in the current assault, are made by Lockheed Martin Global, Inc. in Shelton, Connecticut; and General Electric in Lynn, Massachusetts. 

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Refuelling aircraft 

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Guided bombs used by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF)

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The guided bombs used by the IOF are predominantly made in the US and Israel. The following bombs are made by Israeli companies, often in Israel, but they have international sites that manufacture other goods. These include: the Opher Guided Bomb (Elbit), Griffin laser guided bomb (Israel Aerospace Industries); Lizard (Elbit); Spice bombs (Rafael). Elbit has a US subsidiary in Fort Worth, Texas. 

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The following are US manufacturing sites for guided bombs used by the IOF:

  • Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAMS) tail kits and munitions are made by Boeing in St Charles, Missouri; Lockheed-Martin in Archbald, Pennsylvania; General Dynamics in Garland, Texas; Elwood National Forge Co in Irvine, Pennsylvania; and Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona. 
  • Sidewinder missiles are made by Raytheon Missile Systems Company in Tucson, Arizona
  • GBU-39 Small Diameter Bomb are made by Boeing in St Louis Missouri 
  • Hellfire missiles – usually launched from Apache helicopters – at least some of these are made by Hellfire Systems in Orlando, Florida, a Lockheed Martin/Boeing joint venture.
  • Iron Dome interceptors are called Tamir and are co-produced by RTX (formerly Raytheon Technologies) and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, and assembled in Israel.
  • Paveway II guided bombs are made by Lockheed Martin in Archibald, Pa. and  Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona. 
White Phosphorus

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Israel has used white phosphorus in Gaza and Lebanon. 

  • Israel Chemical Ltd (ICL, now ICL Group) provides Monsanto (now Bayer) with phosphates for the production of the white phosphorus chemical provided to Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA) near Little Rock, Arkansas, for filling. 
Armored Personnel Carriers 

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Three weeks into the assault on Gaza, the IOF started ground operations into the Gaza Strip. This involves tanks and armoured personnel carriers, backed up by helicopters and drones. 

  • Power packs for the Israel-made Namer Armored Personnel Carriers are made by MTU America, Novi, MI. MTU America is the North American subsidiary of Rolls Royce Power Systems. 
Naval assets 

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Most of the assault on Gaza is being carried out from the air and on the ground, but Israel is also using its Sa’ar 6 corvettes for the first time. 

  • 76mm Naval Guns are made by DRS North America, a Leonardo company
  • The hull and superstructures of the Sa’ar 6 are made in Kiel, Germany, by ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems (TKMS)

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Military Transport and Logistics from the USA to Israel

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While many finished military goods are transported by the military itself, either by military vessels or airlift, components and some goods are transported by sea on board normal container vessels. Ports are key nodes in the supply chain for arms.

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The key actor in shipping from the US – and elsewhere in the world – to Israel is the ZIM shipping line. ZIM is the main provider of shipping services to Israel and one of the top ten largest shipping lines in the world. Previously controlled by the Israeli government, ZIM has been privatized and listed on the NY stock exchange over the last two decades. Despite this, it still retains close links to the Israeli state and is crucial to ensuring logistical support for the state and the IDF.

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Most military components enter and exit the US via its east coast ports – primarily New York/Newark, Savannah, Charleston, and the Port of Virginia. These ports are typically unionized by the International Longshoremen’s Association, or ILA. This is because most military supply chains center on Europe and the US with many components produced in Europe and final assembly taking place in the US.

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With access to US trade data, it is possible to see individual shipments via their “bills of lading”, the documents used by shipping lines to identify shipments, and track patterns of deliveries. In rare instances, this can include weapons shipping on civilian vessels. For example, on March 4, 2023 a shipment of “WARHEADS, ROCKET WITH BURSTING CHARGE” produced by Raytheon in Tucson, Arizona and worth $100,000, left the Port of Virginia headed for Haifa, Israel on the Zim Yokohama containership. Other Raytheon shipments have left on the same route in the following months. In most cases, trade data can identify the routes for components. For example, Dunlop regularly ships tires for the F35 and other military aircraft from its factory in Birmingham, UK either via London to the Port of Virginia or via Liverpool to Charleston.


See section 3B in the Day of Action toolkit for more information on this. 

 

The UK

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The partial suspension of arms export licences and the F-35 loophole

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On 2 September 2024, the UK government suspended 29 export licences for military equipment to Israel, having concluded that Israel was not complying with international humanitarian law in Gaza. The licences suspended were for equipment that the government considered to be for use in Gaza. These included components for combat aircraft, military helicopters, UAVs, and targeting equipment. However, they did not suspend dual use licences, licences for military equipment where the Israeli military was not thought to be the ultimate end user (such as those for equipment for incorporation and onward export), and for equipment for use by the Israeli military that it considered was not for use in Gaza. These included components for trainer aircraft and naval vessels. Since the suspension was introduced, the UK government has approved a further 34 new arms licences to Israel which it claims are not for use in Gaza. 

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The most important loophole in the suspension was that the government decided to continue to allow the supply of components for the US F-35 combat aircraft, for which the UK makes 15% of every aircraft, and which Israel uses to bomb Gaza. Component supplies to Israel remain permitted so long as they go via a third country, such as the US, and not directly to Israel. This includes components for the production of new aircraft by the US, and spare parts sent to global supply hubs, which may then go on to any of the F-35 users, including Israel. This is despite the fact that the government assessed that there is a clear risk that the F-35, including the UK-supplied parts, will be used in violations of international law.

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Moreover, the government has not suspended licences for components sent to Israeli arms companies for use in weapons to be re-exported to third countries. Such exports directly support the Israeli arms industry and thus the Israeli state’s war machine. Other licences not suspended include components for trainer aircraft, on the grounds that such aircraft will not be used in Gaza – but they will train the next generation of Israeli pilots.

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Campaign Against Arms Trade has produced a detailed briefing on UK arms exports to Israel, and the government’s partial suspension of licences, available here.

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Export licences to Israel

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Since 2008, the UK has licensed the export of arms worth £579 million to Israel. This does not capture the full scale of UK military exports to Israel as many arms export licenses to Israel are “open” and there is no cap on the number of licensed exports or their value.

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Additionally, there are many licences for exporting components to the US, for incorporation into larger weapons systems for onward export to Israel. From October 2021 up to the end of 2023, a total of £165 million worth of licences were issued for export of components to the US, to be included in arms for onward export, where Israel is one of the authorised final destinations. Of these, £52 million worth had Israel as the only permitted final destination.

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The most traceable exports from the UK to Israel are components for the F35 fighter jet and the F16 – both of which are used by the IOF in Gaza.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter 

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15 per cent of each F-35 is built in the UK. Exports of components for the F-35 programme are covered by an open licence from the UK government, meaning that their full value is not registered in the record of arms exports to Israel. The main UK company involved is BAE Systems. BAE produces 13-15 per cent of each F-35 across its global operations. 

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In November 2023 the UK Department for Business and Trade released a list of the 79 companies currently registered on a UK government open general licence for exports in support of the F-35 programme. This was updated in February 2025 following a second FOI request. For an annotated version of the list, including what each company makes and where it is based (organised by region), click here. This document also lists, where known, which of the companies’ sites have AS9100 certification, for production to international standards, which would be required for producing F-35 components. CAAT also has produced an interactive map of F-35 producers in the UK, as well as other companies with export licences to Israel. While it is likely that most exports for the F-35 are made using this open general licence, some exports are made through individual licences applied for by companies in the normal way.

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Some of the firms and manufacturing sites for the F-35 in the UK are the following: 

  • The rear fuselage of every F-35 fighter is made by BAE Systems at Samlesbury Aerodrome, Lancashire. 
  • The “active interceptor system” is made by BAE Systems in Rochester, Kent. There is a steady stream of components produced for F-35s and Israel’s F16s from this site. 
  • “Durability testing” for the F-35 is undertaken at the BAE structural testing facility in East Yorkshire. 
  • Martin-Baker make the ejector seat at Higher Denham, Buckinghamshire. 
  • GKN Aerospace designs and manufactures the electrical wiring interconnected systems, flaperons, in-flight opening doors, cockpit canopy, air frame parts and arresting gear for all F-35 aircraft. They make precision machined titanium structures for aft and tail sections (for BAE) in Filton, Bristol. 
  • Leonardo make the laser targeting system for the F-35 in Edinburgh.  
  • Dunlop Aircraft Tyres make aircraft tyres in Birmingham.
  • UTC Aerospace Systems (Actuation Systems), part of Collins Aerospace, and ultimately RTX (formerly Raytheon), produces the weapons bay actuators for the F-35.
  • Syensqo (formerly Solvay) supply composites for the F-35 from Wrexham. 

CAAT estimates that the value of UK components in Israel’s 39 F-35 aircraft so far delivered is at least £360m. In addition, UK companies continue to provide spare parts to global pools from where they are then sent to all F-35 users as needed, including Israel. Given the extremely high rate of use Israel is operating the F-35s at since the start of the war – one article suggests they have been operating them at 5 times peacetime rates – the demand for spare parts from all supplier countries will be huge. CAAT estimates as a ballpark figure that the value of UK spare parts used by Israel is around £120m, of which around £75 million since the start of the war. (Estimate up to the end of 2024).

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Companies with export licences to Israel

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Thanks to information disclosed through FOI requests, the names of companies behind most of the recent arms export licences to Israel (from October 2021 to May 2024), as well as companies with pending applications at the end of 2024, are now available.

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See here for a list of companies with the most export licences issued or pending for in this period.

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The F-16

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Israel’s F-16 combat aircraft from the backbone of Israel’s strike aircraft. The full scale of UK involvement in the F-16 is not completely clear; however, the UK government specifically stated in “management information” on export licences to Israel published on 6 December 2024, that components for F-16s to Israel were among the licences suspended.

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The most prominent UK contribution to Israel’s F-16 were head-up displays produced by BAE Systems, sent to the US for incorporation into the complete aircraft. At the time the licence was granted in 2002, the government made another special exception to allow the export, admitting that a licence would not have been granted for direct export given the situation in the West Bank and Gaza, but citing the long-term agreement between BAE and the US for the supply of these systems, and the importance of the defence industrial relationship.

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Based on responses to FOIs, BAE have continued to receive licences for components for head-up/down displays to Israel. Such systems are produced at their factory in Rochester, Kent. Later statements suggest that BAE produce only components for the head-up displays,1 with the complete units produced by Elbit Systems, according to airframer.com.

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Also according to airframer.com, Martin-Baker also produce the ejector seats for the F-16, and Dunlop Air Tyres the tyres. GKN Aerospace also say on their website that they are involved in the F-16 programme, although this does not necessarily mean that they produced equipment specifically for Israel’s F-16s.

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See all CAAT’s resources on UK arms to Israel

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Germany

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Germany is Israel’s second largest supplier of major conventional weapons. Over the period 2013-22, they supplied 27.6% of the major conventional weapons imported by Israel. Since October 2023, Germany has expedited arms exports to Israel including ammunition for guns and tanks. 

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Military equipment supplied to Israel by Germany has mostly consisted of submarines; warships; engines for land vehicles, naval vehicles and aircraft that are assembled in Israel or the US, and torpedoes for the submarines. In many cases, the German government pays for around a third of the cost of these sales as military aid. Supplying arms to Israel is considered by Germany to be a core state interest.

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Major equipment recently delivered, or currently on order, include:

  • MT883Ka engines for Israel’s Merkava tanks and Namer armoured vehicles. These are assembled in the US from components made in Germany by Rolls-Royce Power Systems (formerly MTU, who designed the engine) in Friedrichshafen. The contract was agreed in 2000 and SIPRI estimate that 1060 engines have been delivered between 2002 and 2022. A further 50 engines were delivered in 2023. 
  • Saar-6 corvettes (warships) based on the German K130 Braunschweig class, with some component production and final fitting out in Israel. Two out of a total order of four were delivered in 2022. The order was placed in 2015 and was worth €430m, of which the German government paid €115m as military aid. The corvettes have been used in Israel’s assault on Gaza. The ships are produced at ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems’ (TKMS) shipyard in Kiel.
  • Anti-ship torpedoes for Israel’s (German-made) Dolphin-class submarines. SIPRI estimate that 110 had been delivered by 2022, from an order for an estimated 150 in 2014. They are made by Atlas Elektronik. The Dolphin submarines were made by HDW (now part of TKMS) in Kiel.
  • Three Dakar class diesel-electric submarines ordered in 2022 in a €3 billion deal partly funded by German military aid. Delivery is planned starting 2031. They are being built by TKMS in Kiel.
  • The RGW 90 shoulder fired rocket launcher or “Matador” which is made by Dynamit Nobel Defence (a subsidiary of the Israeli arms company Rafael) in Burbach and has been used against Palestinian homes in Gaza.
  • Diesel engines (MTU 750hp) for the Eitan armoured personnel carrier. 
  • 10,000 rounds of 120mm tank ammunition from German military stockpiles agreed in January 2024. 
  • 500,000 rounds of ammunition for machine/submachine guns or fully/semiautomatic rifles. 

Arms manufacturing companies in Germany that export to Israel

(list produced and published by Forensis in “German Arms Exports to Israel, 2003-2023”). 

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See list here. 

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Export licences

  • In 2023, Germany issued €326.5 million of licenses for arms exports to Israel, a tenfold increase from the previous year. 88 per cent of the licences were issued in the second half of the year and 60 per cent between 7 October and 2 November alone. Official government policy, supported by a civil service working group, was to expedite Israeli arms requests following 7 October. 
  • In the 10-year period 2013-22 Germany issued licences worth €2.5 billion, according to their official annual reports.
  • According to Germany’s full report on arms export controls for 2021 (the 2022 report has not yet been published) 85% of the value of export licences issued for Israel in 2021 was for components for armoured vehicles and main battle tanks. In 2020, 90% of the much larger £583 million worth of licences issued was for corvettes as well as engines and other parts for submarines.

F-35 supply chain

  • Germany has only recently become a customer for the F-35. The following companies produce F-35 parts: 
    • Otto Fuchs KG in Meinerzhagen produces titanium dye forgings and leading edge spars for the F-35.
    • TITAL GmbH in Bestwig makes metal and alloy castings.

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Italy

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Italy is an important secondary supplier of weapons to Israel. Between 2019 and 2023, Italy was Israel’s third largest supplier of arms although it only provided 0.9 per cent of its arms imports. In 2021, Italy approved arms export licenses worth 12.5 million euros to Israel. These included 7.1 million euros of licenses for goods in the category ML10 ("Aircraft", "lighter-than-air vehicles", "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" ("UAVs"), aero-engines and "aircraft" equipment). Although the Italian government has claimed that it suspended new arms export licences to Israel after October 2023, exports on existing licences have continued. These include weapons and ammunition exported in December 2023 and January 2024.

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F35 supply chains in Italy

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Italy is the second most important international F-35 partner, after the United Kingdom. In Italy, at the Italian Air Force base in Cameri (Novara), an independent production and back-up center has been established for the F-35.  Leonardo, which is partly owned by the Italian state, produces composites and metal structures for the F-35 at plants in Foggia, Nola and Venegono as well as wings for the F35 at a plant in Cameri. Components from Italy are in every F-35, but not all the wings are produced in Italy.

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Leonardo’s partnership with Israel

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Increased links between the Italian state-owned military company Leonardo, the Israeli military and the Israeli military industry: 

  • Leonardo is producing seven AW119Kx helicopters for the Israeli Ministry of Defence at its facility in Philadelphia. Leonardo has agreed a 20 year support package to sustain the helicopters while they are in use. 
  • Leonardo is working on a programme of technical support, repair and spare parts supply for Israel’s M-346 aircraft. The aircraft were originally assembled at Alenia Aermacchi’s plant in Venegono.
  • Leonardo produced the 76mm Oto Melara 76/62 super rapido naval guns for Israel’s Saar 6 corvettes, which have been used to bombard Gaza. These guns were likely produced at Leonardo’s factory in La Spezia. 
  • The ammunition used by Israel to fire its 76mm Oto Melara guns is unclear. When the guns are used by the Italian navy, they fire IM84 rounds made by Simmel Difesa in Colleferro. This ammunition is covered by an export agreement from Italy to an unknown country. 
  • In February 2023, Leonardo announced partnerships with the Israeli Innovation Authority and Ramot, a Technology Transfer Company at Tel Aviv University to co-develop new projects. In November 2022, Leonardo DRS (a US based subsidiary) announced a merger with RADA Electronic Industries, an Israeli company that specialises in radar technology. The new combined company is a subsidiary of Leonardo. 
  • Leonardo subsidiary DRS Sustainment Systems, based in St. Louis, manufactures heavy-duty tank trailers for Israel. 
  • Leonardo makes the laser targeting system for the F35 in Edinburgh. 

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THE SPANISH STATE 

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The Spanish military industry plays a limited role as an arms supplier to Israel. This, along with the transshipment of US weapons through the port of Algeciras and the US-Spanish naval base at Rota, are detailed below. Moreover, the Spanish military has awarded valuable contracts to Israeli military companies, including the state-owned firm Rafael. These contracts help Israeli arms companies expand their production and development of weapons that are used against Palestinians. 

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Arms export

  • In 2021, Spain authorised 55 arms export licenses to Israel – worth 13 million euros. This included 9.8 million euros of licenses for goods in the category ML5 – fire control, surveillance and warning equipment. In 2020, Spain authorised 17.7 million euros of licenses – 9 million euro of these in ML10 and 8 million euro ML5. 
  • In November 2023, 987,000 euro of ammunition made by Nammo in Palencia was exported to Israel. The Spanish secretary of state for trade claimed that this was solely for testing purposes. 
  • In February 2024, the Spanish foreign ministry stated that they had not authorised any arms sales to Israel since Israel’s genocide in Gaza started.

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Transshipment of US-made weapons through Algeciras and Rota

  • Research by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM) has shown that the Spanish port of Algeciras has been used throughout Israel’s genocide as a stopping point for ships carrying weapons from the US to Israel. PYM’s research recorded that 1238 weapons shipments to Israel have been carried by the Danish company AP Moller Maersk through Algeciras between September 2023 and 2024. This has included parts for the Namer personnel carrier which has been used extensively in Gaza. Since the research was published, the Spanish government has blocked two Maersk ships from docking at Algeciras.
  • The US-Spanish naval base at Rota was used as a stopping point by the firm Sealift inc to move thousands of tonnes of ammunition from the US Department of Defence to Israel. 

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Spanish military contracts given to Israeli companies

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The Spanish government has approved a 700 million euro programme to purchase a High Mobility Rocket Launcher System from the Israeli arms manufacturer Elbit. This will include procurement of rocket launchers, ammunition, vehicles for demonstration, reconnaissance and command posts, radar and drones as well as training support. Israeli arms companies often market their products through their use by the Israeli military and present them as “battle tested” on Palestinian civilians. Companies based in Spain have been invited to bid for positions as subcontractors in the new programme, including:

  • Rheinmetall Expal Munitions (formerly Expal Systems), headquartered on Av. del Partenón, 16, 28042 Madrid, Spain. 
  • Escribano Mechanical and Engineering, headquartered on Av. Punto Es, 10, 28805 Alcalá de Henares, Madrid, Spain.

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Belgium

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Belgium is the world’s 22nd largest exporter of weapons and as a result plays a more limited role as an exporter to Israel than other countries on this list. During its presidency of the European Union in May 2024, Belgium called for an EU-wide ban on arms exports to Israel. Despite this, weapons and military equipment have been exported to Israel during the genocide in Gaza and Israeli military companies operate on Belgian soil. 

  • In 2021, Belgium licensed 19.8 million euros of arms exports to Israel in category ML8 (energetic materials). 
  • In November 2023, 16 tonnes of gunpowder were sent from PB Clermont in Liege to Israel. They were reported to move through the port of Antwerp. In February 2024, the Walloon government issued a temporary suspension of these licences. 
  • Between 7 November and 4 March 2023, Amnesty International collected data that ten flights carrying military equipment to Nevatim airbase in Israel had transited through Liege airport. The flights were operated by the Israeli cargo carrier Challenge Airlines. In response in May 2024, the Walloon government banned all transit of weapons through its territory to Israel including transhipment. 
  • Elbit Systems operates a wholly-owned subsidiary OIP Sensor Systems in Oudenaarde, Flanders. The site produces military optical equipment. According to the Flemish government’s 2022 arms trade report, there are existing permits for export to Israel covering the equipment produced at OIP.

F-35 fighter jet

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Belgium also contributes to the F-35 programme, with the following sites producing parts: 

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Finland

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Finland is involved in production for the F-35 through its state owned company Patria:

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Patria is co-owned by the government of Finland (50.1%) and Norwegian company Kongsberg Defence & Aerospace (49.9%), part of the Norwegian Kongsberg Group. In 2024, Patria entered into a Memorandum of Agreement with Lockheed Martin to manufacture and supply landing gear doors and forward fuselages for the F-35 aircraft. Subsequently, Patria also partnered with Pratt & Whitney to collaborate on production and sustainment projects for the F135 engine. Multiple locations. Headquartered: Arkadiankatu 2, 00100 Helsinki, Finland, +358 20 4691

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Ams imports from Israel to Finland 

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In November 2023, the Finnish government announced a 317 million euro deal to procure a new missile defence system from Israeli company Rafael. As with many purchases from Israeli arms companies, the deal was justified through the ongoing use of the missile system by the Israeli military. The CEO of Rafael (a retired Major General from the Israeli armed forces) described its “efficacy in the ongoing conflict” as part of a statement announcing the deal. 

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Netherlands 

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Several sites in the Netherlands are involved in the production of F-35 components: 

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Denmark 

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Several companies produce components for the F-35 in Denmark: 

  • Terma - the largest defence company in Denmark that produces more than 80 components for the global F-35 program. It has 800 employees involved in the production of parts for the F-35 .Delivered over 30,000+ parts for the F-35. Customers include Lockheed Martin, BAE Systems, The MArvin Group, Northrop Grumman, Collins Aerospace, and General Dynamics. Head Office: Hovmarken 4 8520 Lystrup Denmark +45 8743 6000
  • SAAB Denmark - subsidiary of Swedish arms company SAAB AB. Supplies parts for the F-35’s self-protection system. Head Office: Porten 6, 6400 Sønderborg, Denmark +45 3638 3000
  • Flatirons Danmark A/S - subsidiary of US-based Flatiron Solutions. Currently have a maintenance contract for software that they previously supplied for the F-35. Bregnerødvej 139, DK-3460 Birkerød, Denmark +45 4594 9400
  • Hottinger Bruel & Kjaer (HBK) - Engineering and electronics company. Formed after Germany-based Hottinger Baldwin Messtechnik (HBM) and Denmark-based Brüel & Kjær merged in 2019, both are owned by Spectris plc, a UK-based company. Carries out acoustic testing on F-35 components and sub-assemblies using vibration test systems to ensure durability in operation and under stress. Head Office: Teknikerbyen 26-40. DK-2830 Virum Denmark +45 7741 2400
  • Multicut A/S - specialises in precision components, manufactures components including brackets and fittings for the Pratt & Whitney F135 engine. Head Office: Estlandsvej 2 DK-7480 Vildbjerg Denmark +45 9713 2388

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Norway

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Companies operating in Norway produce parts for the F-35 while the state owned company Nammo produces weapons for Israel at sites in the US:

  • Nordic Ammunition Company (Nammo) is co-owned by the Norwegian Ministry of Trade, Industry and Fisheries (50%) and the Finnish aerospace & defense company Patria Oyj (50%). Nammo’s US subsidiary, Nammo Talley, located in Arizona, manufactures the M72 LAW (Light Anti-tank Weapon). The weapon is being used extensively in Gaza. It also manufactures the M141 Bunker Defeat Munition, a disposable single-shot, shoulder-fired rocket launcher. In October 2023, 1,800 M141 rocket launchers were shipped from Nammo’s factory in Arizona to Israel. Head Office: Enggata 40, NO-2830 Raufoss, Norway +47 61 15 36 00

F-35 sites in Norway

  • GKN Aerospace Norway AS - produces parts for the F-35 engine. These include: Aft & forward compressor cases for F136 engine; low pressure turbine shaft & intermediate case for F135 engine; diffuser cases for F135 engine; Shaft for F135 engine. Headquarters: Kirkegårdsveien 45, NO-3616, Norway +47 32 728 400
  • Kitron AS - supplies subassembly Integrated Communications, Navigation and Identification (ICNI) modules for Northrop Grumman for implementation in the F-35 Lightning II.
    Headquartered: Olav Brunborgs vei 4, NO-1396 Billingstad, Norway +47 66 10 00 00
  • Berget AS - supplier of the F-35. Specialising in mechanics, cable & harness, electronics, electro mechanical assembly and test. Semsveien 51, 3676 Notodden, Norway +47 35 027 300
  • Techni AS - Qualification of Special Processes with MOOG for F-35 in 2002 and from 2016 approved direct supplier to Lockheed Martin. Head Office: Innlaget 5, 3185 Skoppum, Norway
  • Kongsberg Group is majority state owned and a key player in the production of advanced weapons technology, including components for the F-35 fighter jet. These include aircraft parts in composite materials and titanium as well as parts of the fuselage and rudder. Kongsberg has manufactured parts for the F-35 since 2010. From 2026, the Kongsberg Group will also produce missiles for the F-35. The Kongsberg Group collaborates with the Israeli arms company Rafael on the production of Spike missiles, which are used in Gaza. The Kongsberg Group is also a part-owner of the arms manufacturer Nammo. Headquarters: Kirkegårdsveien 45, NO-3616, Norway + 47 32 288 200

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India

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India is one of Israel’s closest partners in the arms trade. Between 2019 and 2023, India was the largest customer of the Israeli military industry accounting for 37 per cent of its exports. As a result, India plays an essential role in ensuring that there is revenue and demand for arms companies that are fundamental to Israel’s ability to wage war and commit genocide.


Further, the Indian military industry produces essential components for Elbit, Rafael and Israel Aerospace Industries, including explosives. Workers in Palestine has published a guide to military production sites in India that supply Israeli companies.

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Canada

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The Canadian arms industry plays a significant role in supplying key components for military systems used by Israel. These contributions include attack and training helicopters, fighter jets, and combat vehicles. Canada is also a partner to the F-35 program. Many Canadian arms manufacturers are engaged in these programs, often partnering with US-based facilities where components are assembled before being shipped to their final destinations. Acknowledgment for the list below should be given to the extensive research conducted by World Beyond War.

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See here for a list of Canadian companies involved in the production of helicopters, jet fighters, and armored vehicles for Israel (many firms collaborate on multiple programs).

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See here for a list of other companies supplying weapons or components. 

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Canada’s role in the F-35

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Each F-35 contains around $2.3 million worth of Canadian components. According to reporting, there are more than a hundred Canadian companies that provide components for the F-35. Canadian F-35 suppliers map.

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See here for a list of Canadian companies involved in the F-35 supply chain.

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France

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France was the world’s joint second largest arms exporter between 2019 and 2023. The nature of its arms exports to Israel are highly secretive and the lack of transparency around arms exports is used by the French government to conceal its arms trading relationship with Israel. Nonetheless, there is some record of French arms exported to Israel during its genocidal assault on Gaza.

  • In 2023, 30 million euros of arms were delivered from France to Israel – more than double the previous year. 
  • The partly state-owned French arms company Thales produces transponders for the Hemes 900 drone at its factory in Laval. At least two of these transponders were delivered in 2024. Thales maintains close links to Elbit Systems, with whom it collaborated on the Watchkeeper drone programme for the British military. 
  • In October 2023, spare parts used to assemble machine gun rounds were exported from Eurolinks in Marseille to Israel. 

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South Africa

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Rheinmetall operates a South African subsidiary – Rheinmetall Denel Munitions. While the multinational parent company Rheinmetall is developing a 155mm howitzer with Elbit Systems (NB customers for this include the German and potentially the UK and Hungarian governments), Rheinmetall Denel specialises in 155mm artillery ammunition. It is not yet clear whether this ammunition will be used in the co-produced howitzer. 

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Australia

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The Australian Government committed to join the global F-35 program in 2002. Australian industry has been involved in the production of the F-35 since 2006 (see p7). Australia’s integration into the F-35 global supply chain means that every jet that flies, including the F-35A used by the Israeli Air Force during the bombardment of Gaza, contains many components manufactured in Australia. In all, the Australian Defence Department says more than 70 Australian companies have been awarded “over $4.13 billion in global production and sustainment contracts through the F-35 program to date”.

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Australia has issued 322 defence export permits to Israel since January 2017, including 52 export permits to Israel in 2023, according to the Australian Department of Defence (source). Its main exports are products and components that fit into broader global supply chains for weapons and weapons systems.

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This Defense News article (and this) (also this) imply that every F-35 in the global fleet will be updated with information gained from operations undertaken by any State in the fleet, potentially meaning all F-35s globally might be updated with information learned from Israel’s use of F-35s in Gaza.

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The Australian Government are giving Industry Support Program Sustainment Grants for companies to develop capabilities for the Joint Strike Fighter Program

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The Australian F-35 Supply Chain

See here for a list of Australia-based companies involved in F-35 production 

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Further Resources

Canada’s Arms trade with Israel: https://worldbeyondwar.org/canadastoparmingisrael/ 

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‍To find out if a company near you is complicit in Israeli crimes you can use the following databases: Investigate and WhoProfits

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