Publication

This commentary examines the rapid development of the Southeast Asian regional militaries and the part commoditization - an almost total lack of meaningful differentiation between competing products that are instead sold almost entirely on the basis of price - of the arms market plays in this phenomenon. The author argues that while it remains important, price alone does not always have the greatest impact on weapons acquisition. As such, the Southeast Asian arms market remains only partially commoditized, with reliability, after-sales support, technology transfers, as well as political reasons also playing an important role in arms-purchase decision-making.