The UK has consistently sold arms to Israel. Over recent years it has licensed arms exports worth between £10 million and £25 million per year. However, figures available for 2008 show that, only half way through the year, arms worth over £24 million had been approved for export to Israel (figures for the second two quarters have not yet been published).
Export licences approved in the first half of 2008 include:
• components for combat aircraft
• components for electronic warfare equipment
• components for helmet mounted display equipment
• components for military aero-engines
• components for naval radars
• components for surface-to-air missiles
• equipment for the use of weapon sights
• general military aircraft components
• general naval vessel components
• military communications equipment
• technology for the use of weapon sights
Israel has used F-16 fighter aircraft and Apache combat helicopters to bomb Lebanese and Palestinian towns and villages. These contain significant UK components including missile triggering systems for Apaches and Head-Up Displays for F-16s.
