Wagner Group / Africa Corps
RussiaReorganized into GRU-controlled Africa Corps after 2023; operations in Mali, CAR, Libya, Syria, Ukraine.
Reference
Top 20 defense contractors by arms revenue (2023 data, published December 2024).
SIPRI Top 100 rankings with company country of origin, arms revenue, arms share of total revenue, and product focus. Figures are in USD billions.
Ranking
| # | Company | Country | Arms rev. | Total rev. | Arms % | Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lockheed Martin | United States | $60.8B | $67.6B | 90% | Aeronautics (F-35), missiles, space, rotary & mission systems |
| 2 | RTX (Raytheon Technologies) | United States | $40.6B | $68.9B | 59% | Air defense (Patriot), missiles, Pratt & Whitney engines |
| 3 | Northrop Grumman | United States | $37.7B | $39.3B | 96% | B-21, Sentinel ICBM, space, mission systems |
| 4 | Boeing | United States | $30.5B | $77.8B | 39% | Defense, space & security: F-15EX, KC-46, P-8, rotorcraft |
| 5 | General Dynamics | United States | $24.4B | $42.3B | 58% | Abrams, Virginia/Columbia submarines, IT services |
| 6 | BAE Systems | United Kingdom | $29.5B | $31.1B | 95% | Combat vehicles, naval platforms, electronic systems |
| 7 | NORINCO | China | $22.0B | $72.6B | 30% | Land systems, munitions, armored vehicles |
| 8 | AVIC | China | $20.6B | $81.5B | 25% | Military aviation (J-20, J-35, UAVs) |
| 9 | L3Harris Technologies | United States | $16.4B | $19.4B | 84% | C4ISR, communications, Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion |
| 10 | CASC | China | $15.2B | $41.2B | 37% | Ballistic & cruise missiles, space launch |
| 11 | Leidos | United States | $13.7B | $15.4B | 89% | Defense IT, cyber, intelligence services |
| 12 | Airbus | Trans-European | $12.5B | $72.8B | 17% | A400M, Eurofighter, helicopters, military satellites |
| 13 | Leonardo | Italy | $12.3B | $17.5B | 70% | Helicopters, electronics, Eurofighter consortium |
| 14 | Thales | France | $11.3B | $22.2B | 51% | Air defense, avionics, cyber & secure comms |
| 15 | HII (Huntington Ingalls) | United States | $11.0B | $11.5B | 96% | Nuclear-powered carriers & submarines |
| 16 | CSSC | China | $10.0B | $68.0B | 15% | Naval shipbuilding |
| 17 | Honeywell | United States | $9.2B | $36.7B | 25% | Propulsion, avionics, defense electronics |
| 18 | Dassault Aviation | France | $6.3B | $5.8B | 100% | Rafale combat aircraft |
| 19 | Rheinmetall | Germany | $6.1B | $8.2B | 74% | Combat vehicles, ammunition, air defense |
| 20 | Elbit Systems | Israel | $5.9B | $6.0B | 98% | C4I, drones, electronic warfare |
Source: SIPRI Arms Industry Database (2023 reporting year, published December 2024). Chinese company estimates are SIPRI figures and carry wider uncertainty bands than firms with public disclosures.
Private military companies
Constellis (Triple Canopy)
United StatesLegacy Blackwater successor; U.S. State Department Worldwide Protective Services contract.
G4S / Allied Universal
United Kingdom / U.S.Largest global security services firm by revenue (~$20B); defense work is a minor share.
DynCorp / Amentum
United StatesLogistics, aviation sustainment, training; major DoD LOGCAP contractor.
Coverage map
Prime contractors
Large firms that win the headline platform and weapons contracts, usually through long procurement cycles and multi-year sustainment work.
Subsystem and component suppliers
Engine, sensor, electronics, propulsion, and software firms that sit deeper in the supply chain and often absorb the bottlenecks first.
Services and logistics providers
Maintenance, transport, training, base support, and operational services that convert budgets into usable force posture.
Private military companies
Security and expeditionary firms that sit outside conventional procurement but still shape conflict costs, outsourcing, and state capacity.
What we do not claim
- • A complete private-market registry.
- • A legal determination of contractor conduct.
- • A definitive count of all foreign, opaque, or subcontracted relationships.
Editorial standard
Contracting coverage should be explicit about contract type, theater, and time frame. If a page discusses a firm or network, it should say whether the angle is revenue, operational role, political influence, or conflict-cost effect.
For source definitions and update handling, see Methodology.