The figure represents an increase of 1 percent on 2009, according to the statistics published by the Swedish Agency for Non-Proliferation and Export Controls (Inspektionen för strategiska produkter – ISP) on Wednesday.

The report showed that 70 percent of Sweden’s arms exports are to the EU and other established military partners.

“Of the total Swedish defence equipment exports, 70 percent goes to the EU and well established partners such as the US and South Africa,” ISP director-general Andreas Ekman Duse said in a statement.

Major arms deals involving, for example, the JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet and Stridsfordon 90 armoured vehicle, to South Africa and the Netherlands respectively, are reflected in the statistics.

Sweden is the 11th largest arms exporter, according to figures for 2009 compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).

In 2010 42 percent of the country’s exports went to other European Union and European Economic Area countries. A further 29 percent went to “established partners” outside of the EU such as Australia, Japan, Canada, Korea, Singapore, South Africa and the US.

The remaining 29 percent went to a group of 20 countries with leading recipients including Pakistan (1.3 billion kronor), UAE (804 million kronor), India (696 million kronor), Thailand (498 million kronor) and Saudi Arabia (246 million kronor).