A 'defense contractor' (or 'defence contractor', also sometimes called a 'military contractor') is a
business organization or individual that provides
products or
services to a defense department of a
government. Products typically include military
aircraft,
ships, vehicles,
weaponry, and
electronic systems. Services can include
logistics, technical support and
training and
communications support.
Defense contractors do not generally provide direct support of military operations. Under
1949 Geneva Conventions defense contractors engaged in direct support of military operations may be legitimate targets of military attack. Compare to
Private military contractor.
| 'Top 10 World-Wide Defense Contractors, 2007' |
| Rank | Name | Country | 2006 Rank | Defense Revenue (US$ million) | % of total revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockheed Martin | U.S. | 1 | 36,090 | 91.0 |
| 2 | Boeing | U.S. | 2 | 30,800 | 50.0 |
| 3 | BAE Systems | U.K. | 4 | 25,070 | 93.0 |
| 4 | Northrop Grumman | U.S. | 3 | 23,649 | 78.4 |
| 5 | Raytheon | U.S. | 5 | 19,500 | 96.1 |
| 6 | General Dynamics | U.S. | 6 | 18,769 | 78.0 |
| 7 | EADS | Germany/France [1] | 7 | 13,202 | 25.4 |
| 8 | L-3 Communications | U.S. | 13 | 9,989 | 80.1 |
| 9 | Finmeccanica | Italy | 11 | 9,057 | 55.0 |
| 10 | United Technologies | U.S. | 12 | 7,652 | 16.0 |
| ''Source: www.defensenews.com'' | |||||
1. Corporation registered in Netherlands
See also
★
List of United States defense contractors
★
Arms industry
★
Military-industrial complex
★
Private military contractor
External links
★
The British Library - finding information on the defence industry