Defense contractor
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 a private military contractor.
| Top 10 World-Wide Defense Contractors, 2008 | |||||
| Rank | Name | Country/ location |
2007 rank | Defense revenue (US$ billion) |
% of total revenue |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Boeing |  United States |
1 | 30.5 | 48.0 |
| 2 | BAE Systems |  United Kingdom |
2 | 29.9 | 95.0 |
| 3 | Lockheed Martin | United States |
3 | 29.4 | 92.0 |
| 4 | Northrop Grumman | United States |
4 | 24.6 | 77.0 |
| 5 | General Dynamics | United States |
6 | 21.5 | 79.0 |
| 6 | Raytheon | United States |
5 | 19.5 | 93.0 |
| 7 | EADS |  European Union |
7 | 13.1 | 21.3 |
| 8 | L-3 Communications | United States |
8 | 11.2 | 81.0 |
| 9 | Finmeccanica |  Italy |
9 | 9.9 | 53.6 |
| 10 | Thales Group |  France |
10 | 9.4 | 16.0 |
| Source: [1] | |||||
[edit] See also
- Arms industry
- Government contractor
- List of NASA contractors
- List of United States defense contractors
- Military-industrial complex
[edit] External links
- The British Library - finding information on the defence industry
- Private Security Transnational Enterprises in Colombia
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