ABSTRACT
Between 1955 and 1967, the number of countries capable of supplying advanced weapons systems to willing purchasers rose from three to fifteen. The arms market is an area in which prediction of future trends is notoriously difficult. Almost everything depends on the foreign and defence policies of a small group of major countries and the limit of resources available for the purpose. The tendency these days is for the massive arms sales programme to be government-controlled and directed. No longer do the armaments manufacturers in developed countries act independently of government policy, but their main motive is still profit. Of the ex-imperial territories, India alone had the nucleus of an armaments industry and this has been developed. The power developing countries have, however, generally not even built factories for the manufacture of ammunition or sporting guns. In Africa, the Horn of Africa is one area where a dangerous arms race appeared to be developing.
