The fighter jets overhead, the submarines under the ocean, the missiles that guard a city, and the secure networks that connect them all have one thing in common: they are built by a small group of American companies. The US spends more on defense than any other country, and most of that money flows to the firms in this list.

The industry has two very different sides. Long-established giants have spent a century building aircraft, ships, and weapons for the US military, while newer technology companies are bringing in software, AI, and autonomous systems to change how wars are planned and fought.

In this article, we’ll discuss the top 10 defense companies in the United States, based on their history, ownership, and the kind of technology they are known for.

Quick Comparison

Rank	Company	Founded	Owner / Founders	US Headquarters	Core Focus
1	Lockheed Martin	1995 (roots 1912)	Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Jim Taiclet	Bethesda, Maryland	Fighter Jets & Missiles
2	RTX	2020 (roots 1922)	Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Chris Calio	Arlington, Virginia	Missiles, Jet Engines & Avionics
3	Northrop Grumman	1994	Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Kathy Warden	Falls Church, Virginia	Stealth Bombers & Nuclear Missiles
4	General Dynamics	1952	Founded by John Jay Hopkins; publicly listed, led by CEO Phebe Novakovic	Reston, Virginia	Submarines, Tanks & Business Jets
5	Boeing	1916	Founded by William Boeing; publicly listed, led by CEO Kelly Ortberg	Arlington, Virginia	Military Aircraft & Helicopters
6	L3Harris Technologies	2019	Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Christopher Kubasik	Melbourne, Florida	Military Communications & Surveillance
7	Huntington Ingalls Industries	2011 (roots 1886)	Spun off from Northrop Grumman; publicly listed, led by CEO Chris Kastner	Newport News, Virginia	Warships & Aircraft Carriers
8	Leidos	1969	Founded by J. Robert Beyster; publicly listed, led by CEO Tom Bell	Reston, Virginia	Defense IT & Intelligence Services
9	Booz Allen Hamilton	1914	Founded by Edwin Booz; publicly listed, led by CEO Horacio Rozanski	McLean, Virginia	Cyber, AI & Defense Consulting
10	Anduril Industries	2017	Founded by Palmer Luckey and partners; privately held, led by CEO Brian Schimpf	Costa Mesa, California	Autonomous Systems & Defense Software

Lockheed Martin – The World’s Largest Defense Contractor

Image Courtesy: Lockheed Martin (Official Website)

• Founded: 1995 (roots 1912) 
• Owner: Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Jim Taiclet 
• Headquarters: Bethesda, Maryland

Lockheed Martin was formed in 1995 when Lockheed Corporation merged with Martin Marietta. Lockheed’s roots go back to 1912, when Allan Lockheed began building aircraft in California. Over the decades, the company became known for its secretive Skunk Works division, which created famous aircraft like the U-2 spy plane and the SR-71 Blackbird.

Today, Lockheed Martin builds the F-35 Lightning II, the most widely used stealth fighter among US allies. It also makes missile defense systems, the HIMARS rocket launcher, and the PAC-3 interceptor missile. The US government is its largest customer by far.

What Lockheed Martin does: Builds fighter jets, missiles, and missile defense systems. 

Services: F-35 fighter jets, missile defense, rocket launchers, naval combat systems, and space systems.

RTX – The Company Behind Patriot Missiles and Jet Engines

Image Courtesy: RTX (Official Website)

• Founded: 2020 (roots 1922) 
• Owner: Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Chris Calio 
• Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia

RTX, formerly Raytheon Technologies, was created in 2020 when Raytheon merged with United Technologies. Raytheon itself was started in 1922 and became famous for developing radar and guided missiles. The combined company was renamed RTX in 2023.

RTX has three main businesses: Raytheon, which makes missiles and air defense systems like Patriot and Tomahawk; Pratt & Whitney, which builds jet engines including those for the F-35; and Collins Aerospace, which makes avionics and aircraft systems. Chris Calio became CEO in 2025.

What RTX does: Makes missiles, air defense systems, jet engines, and aircraft electronics. 

Services: Patriot air defense, Tomahawk and Stinger missiles, military jet engines, and avionics.

Northrop Grumman – The Stealth Bomber Specialist

Image Courtesy: Northrop Grumman (Official Website)

• Founded: 1994 
• Owner: Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Kathy Warden 
• Headquarters: Falls Church, Virginia

Northrop Grumman was formed in 1994 when Northrop Corporation bought Grumman, two well-known aircraft makers. Northrop had built the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, while Grumman had made Navy fighters and the lunar module used in the Apollo Moon landings.

The company is now building the B-21 Raider, the next-generation stealth bomber of the US Air Force. It is also developing the Sentinel intercontinental ballistic missile, which is set to replace the aging Minuteman III, and makes drones, radar systems, and space technology. Kathy Warden has led the company since 2019.

What Northrop Grumman does: Builds stealth bombers, nuclear missile systems, drones, and space systems. 

Services: B-21 Raider bombers, Sentinel missiles, unmanned aircraft, radar and sensors, and military satellites.

General Dynamics – From Submarines to Tanks

Image Courtesy: General Dynamics (Official Website)

• Founded: 1952 
• Owner: Founded by John Jay Hopkins; publicly listed, led by CEO Phebe Novakovic 
• Headquarters: Reston, Virginia

General Dynamics was formed in 1952 by John Jay Hopkins, who combined the submarine builder Electric Boat with the aircraft maker Canadair. Electric Boat had built the USS Nautilus, the world’s first nuclear-powered submarine, which was launched in 1954.

Today, General Dynamics builds Virginia-class and Columbia-class submarines for the US Navy and the M1 Abrams tank through its land systems business. It also owns Gulfstream, the maker of luxury business jets, and a large IT services arm. Phebe Novakovic has been CEO since 2013.

What General Dynamics does: Builds submarines, combat vehicles, business jets, and defense IT systems. 

Services: Nuclear submarines, Abrams tanks, Stryker vehicles, Gulfstream jets, and military IT services.

Boeing – More Than Commercial Aircraft

Image Courtesy: Boeing (Official Website)

• Founded: 1916 
• Owner: Founded by William Boeing; publicly listed, led by CEO Kelly Ortberg 
• Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia

Boeing was started in 1916 by William Boeing in Seattle. While most people know it for passenger planes, its defense business has been central to American air power since World War II, when it built the B-17 Flying Fortress and the B-29 Superfortress bombers.

Today, Boeing builds the F-15EX fighter, the Apache attack helicopter, the Chinook transport helicopter, the P-8 Poseidon patrol plane, and the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker. In 2025, the US Air Force picked Boeing to build the F-47, its next-generation fighter. Kelly Ortberg became CEO in 2024.

What Boeing does: Builds military aircraft, helicopters, and refueling tankers alongside airliners. 

Services: F-15EX and F-47 fighters, Apache and Chinook helicopters, P-8 aircraft, and KC-46 tankers.

L3Harris Technologies – The Military Communications Expert

Image Courtesy: L3Harris Technologies (Official Website)

• Founded: 2019 
• Owner: Formed by merger; publicly listed, led by CEO Christopher Kubasik 
• Headquarters: Melbourne, Florida

L3Harris was formed in 2019 when L3 Technologies merged with Harris Corporation. Both companies had a long record of supplying communications and electronic equipment to the military, and Harris had been a leading maker of radios used by US troops.

The company builds tactical radios, surveillance sensors, electronic warfare systems, and satellites that track missiles. In 2023, it bought Aerojet Rocketdyne, adding major rocket engine and missile propulsion capabilities. Christopher Kubasik became CEO in 2021.

What L3Harris does: Makes military communications, sensors, electronic warfare tools, and missile propulsion. 

Services: Tactical radios, surveillance systems, electronic warfare, missile-tracking satellites, and rocket engines.

Huntington Ingalls Industries – The Navy’s Shipbuilder

Image Courtesy: Huntington Ingalls Industries (Official Website)

• Founded: 2011 (roots 1886) 
• Owner: Spun off from Northrop Grumman; publicly listed, led by CEO Chris Kastner 
• Headquarters: Newport News, Virginia

Huntington Ingalls Industries, or HII, became an independent company in 2011 when Northrop Grumman spun off its shipbuilding business. Its roots go back to 1886, when Collis Huntington founded the shipyard that became Newport News Shipbuilding.

HII is the largest military shipbuilder in the United States. It is the only company that builds nuclear-powered aircraft carriers for the US Navy, including the Gerald R. Ford class, and it also builds destroyers, amphibious assault ships, and parts of nuclear submarines. Chris Kastner has been CEO since 2022.

What HII does: Builds aircraft carriers, warships, and submarine components for the US Navy. 

Services: Nuclear aircraft carriers, destroyers, amphibious ships, submarine construction, and unmanned systems.

Leidos – The Defense Technology and Intelligence Specialist

Image Courtesy: Leidos (Official Website)

• Founded: 1969 
• Owner: Founded by J. Robert Beyster; publicly listed, led by CEO Tom Bell 
• Headquarters: Reston, Virginia

Leidos traces its history to 1969, when physicist J. Robert Beyster founded Science Applications International Corporation, known as SAIC. In 2013, SAIC split into two companies, and the part focused on government services took the new name Leidos.

Leidos is one of the biggest providers of technology services to the US military and intelligence agencies. It builds and runs IT systems, develops surveillance and security technology, and supports Navy and Air Force programs. Tom Bell has served as CEO since 2020.

What Leidos does: Provides IT, intelligence, and security technology to defense and government clients. 

Services: Defense IT systems, intelligence support, airport and border security, and engineering services.

Booz Allen Hamilton – The Consultant Behind Defense Technology

Image Courtesy: Booz Allen Hamilton (Official Website)

• Founded: 1914 
• Owner: Founded by Edwin Booz; publicly listed, led by CEO Horacio Rozanski 
• Headquarters: McLean, Virginia

Booz Allen Hamilton was started in 1914 by Edwin Booz, who is considered one of the pioneers of management consulting in America. The firm later built a strong relationship with the US government, working for the military and intelligence community for more than a century.

Today, Booz Allen helps defense and national security agencies with cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, data analytics, and digital systems. The company went public in 2010 and has been led by Horacio Rozanski since 2015.

What Booz Allen Hamilton does: Offers technology consulting and engineering services to defense and civil agencies. 

Services: Cybersecurity, AI and data analytics, digital modernization, and mission engineering.

Anduril Industries – The New-Age Defense Startup

Image Courtesy: Anduril Industries (Official Website)

• Founded: 2017 
• Owner: Founded by Palmer Luckey and partners; privately held, led by CEO Brian Schimpf 
• Headquarters: Costa Mesa, California

Anduril was founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, the creator of the Oculus virtual reality headset, along with Brian Schimpf, Matt Grimm, Trae Stephens, and Joe Chen. The company is named after a sword from The Lord of the Rings and was built to bring Silicon Valley-style speed to defense technology.

Anduril’s Lattice software connects sensors, drones, and weapons into one system with the help of AI. It builds autonomous drones, counter-drone systems, and unmanned fighter aircraft, and it has opened a large factory in Ohio to build weapons at scale. It is one of the most valuable private defense companies in the world.

What Anduril does: Builds autonomous systems, drones, and AI-powered defense software. 

Services: Lattice software, autonomous aircraft, counter-drone systems, and surveillance towers.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Which is the largest defense company in the USA? 

Lockheed Martin is generally considered the largest US defense contractor by defense revenue, driven by its F-35 program and missile business.

Which company builds the F-35 fighter jet? 

Lockheed Martin builds the F-35, with major parts supplied by Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems, and engines by Pratt & Whitney, which is part of RTX.

Which company builds the B-21 Raider stealth bomber? 

Northrop Grumman is building the B-21 Raider for the US Air Force.

Which company builds US Navy aircraft carriers? 

Huntington Ingalls Industries builds the nuclear-powered aircraft carriers used by the US Navy.

Which company makes the Patriot missile system? 

Raytheon, a business of RTX, makes the Patriot air defense system, while Lockheed Martin makes its PAC-3 interceptor missiles.

Which company builds the M1 Abrams tank? 

General Dynamics Land Systems builds the Abrams tank.

Which company is picked to build the F-47 fighter? 

Boeing was selected in 2025 to build the F-47, the US Air Force’s next-generation fighter.

Are defense companies in the USA regulated? 

Yes, they must follow strict rules, including export controls under ITAR, and contracting rules overseen by the Department of Defense.

Which company was started by the creator of Oculus? 

Anduril Industries was co-founded in 2017 by Palmer Luckey, who earlier created the Oculus VR headset.

Why do these ten companies matter to everyday people? 

These companies protect national security, employ hundreds of thousands of workers, and develop technologies like GPS, jet engines, and the internet that later benefit civilian life.

Conclusion

America’s defense industry was shaped by the exigencies of the World Wars, the Cold War, and the contemporary geopolitical environment. The industry’s heavyweights, such as Lockheed Martin, RTX, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, and Boeing, continue to lead the development of the world’s most sophisticated aircraft, ships, and missiles. Software-driven and autonomous systems are also gaining ground, with such companies as Anduril leading the charge.

The ten companies discussed in this report are key to meeting the military needs of the US and its allies. Thus, it is safe to assume that they will continue to play a critical role in the future as geopolitical tensions continue to undermine international security.