In 2023, the United States arms trade reached $238 billion, continuing to maintain a leading position in the global foreign arms trade.
Some say the United States is the world's largest arms trader.
The United States has been selling weapons around the world, but is it worried about technology leakage?
First, why does the US not worry about technology leakage
During the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese army captured an American CH-47 helicopter. The helicopter is in good condition and can take off directly after refueling.
After the Chinese military acquired the CH-47 helicopter, it was full of praise for its excellent performance. Although the Chinese military studied and disassembled the helicopter, unfortunately, they did not succeed in creating a replica CH-47 helicopter.
To this day, the CH-47 helicopter remains one of the most widely used aircraft in the United States and is sold to many countries.
Although the CH-47 helicopter's excellent performance is self-evident, why can't it be successfully copied?
In fact, the main difficulties faced by Chinese scientists were technical problems, and China's industrial level at the time could not meet the research needs.
Now, however, the situation has changed, and the United States is afraid to sell weapons to countries like China and Russia, which have developed capabilities to match the United States in military development.
In addition to not worrying about technology leakage, the United States also has strict rules on the export of weapons, not all weapons can be exported.
To take an exaggerated example, ask whether the United States will sell nuclear weapons? Obviously not possible.
It is said that when exporting weapons, there are also domestic versions and export versions, and weapons exported to other countries and regions may reduce some of the functions of the original.
In this case, the United States is more comfortable with technology leaks.
The industrial capacity of the United States is very developed, and the parts and raw materials used in the manufacture of weapons are very complex and precious.
For example, the US SR71 Blackbird reconnaissance aircraft uses a very special titanium alloy, and it is said that even the Soviet Union cannot fully understand its manufacturing secrets.
Therefore, the United States is not worried about technology leakage.
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