The arms industry, much like our domestic pacific economy, is looking for a bump in exports given the recession. Weapons manufacturers want to sell arms in the Middle East and Asia. “For the past decade, U.S. defense firms have enjoyed strong growth, as Pentagon budgets doubled to roughly $700 billion a year amid wartime spending. Now companies are bracing for a downturn and looking to foreign customers to cushion the blow. Lockheed Martin Corp. Chief Executive Robert Stevens recently told The Wall Street Journal he saw ‘significant’ potential for growth in exports, particularly in the Middle East and Asia.”