Most countries want to believe that they can rely on their military to secure their sovereignty and protect them from foreign threats. However, what is often not fully appreciated is how this capacity is frequently undermined because of the susceptibility of the defence sector to corruption. This is because the secrecy that generally surrounds large contracts for the procurement of military hardware provides ample opportunities for corrupt arms dealers, politicians and state officials to siphon off money or solicit bribes without being held accountable.