The military industries represent a web of political, strategic and economic considerations. Their past development and future existence are of primary international importance. The contributors to this volume, hailing from various countries and experts in their fields, address a range of topics of primary importance in the academic discourse on the military industries. Combined, the chapters of the volume provide a comprehensive look at the state of the world-wide arms sector. The volume begins with a look at global issues, and then reduces its focus to individual countries, beginning in the West and then moving beyond. The United States, the world's leading arms-producing state, is analyzed, as are second-tier countries, in Europe, South America and Asia. International economic trends, political developments and strategic considerations are linked to provide a comprehensive and policy-relevant analysis of the subject matter at hand.