Market Share of Latin America Defense Industry
The Latin American defense market remains fragmented. Key players include RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd., Elbit Systems Ltd., ASELSAN A.S., THALES, and Lockheed Martin Corporation. The region has numerous local players, many state-owned, and serve only their domestic armed and security forces. Noteworthy examples include Compañía Anonima Venezolana de Industrias Militares (CAVIM) in Venezuela, Fábrica de Armas y Municiones del Ejército (FAME) in Peru, Fábricas y Maestranzas del Ejército (FAMAE) in Chile, and INDUMIL in Colombia.
Even with a robust local presence, international players, particularly from the U.S., Germany, and France, maintain a significant foothold in the market through defense equipment imports. Lockheed Martin Corporation emerges as a frontrunner in the LATAM defense landscape. Its subsidiary, Sikorsky, provides military and rotary-wing aircraft to military and commercial sectors. Companies are also pushing boundaries with innovations to bolster their market share. For instance, in April 2024, FN Herstal, a century-old Belgian firm with deep roots in Latin America, presented its latest firearms in Santiago de Chile. FN Herstal's Latin American journey commenced with FN Mauser rifle sales, later marking milestones with the FN FAL light automatic rifle, FN MAG general-purpose machine gun, and FN GP (High Power) pistol. At the showcase, the company highlighted a variety of small arms, notably the FN HiPer 9mm pistol and the FN EVOLYS ultralight machine gun, both featuring cutting-edge day & night sights.
Latin America Defense Market Leaders
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RAFAEL Advanced Defense Systems Ltd.
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Elbit Systems Ltd.
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ASELSAN A.S.
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THALES
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Lockheed Martin Corporation
*Disclaimer: Major Players sorted in no particular order
