Defense Manufacturing Statistics 2026
Current US defense manufacturing statistics. How big is the defense industrial base, how many defense workers, top primes, ITAR registrations, NDAA spending, and 2026 outlook from DoD, BLS, AIA sources.
The US defense industrial base spans aerospace platforms, electronics and avionics, ground vehicles, ships and submarines, missiles and munitions, soldier systems, and a long tail of specialty components.
How big is the US defense industrial base?
US defense industrial base annual revenue across aerospace, electronics, vehicles, shipbuilding, and munitions categories.
FY2024 NDAA total defense authorization, with approximately $170B directed to procurement and $145B to RDT&E.
The market splits between commercial-defense dual-use products and pure-defense work. The latter category is more concentrated, with a small number of primes and a tightly qualified supplier base.
How many people work in US defense manufacturing?
Direct DoD-related manufacturing employment, with another 1+ million supported across the broader supplier network.
Who are the top US defense primes?
| Prime | FY2024 DoD obligations (est.) | Focus areas |
|---|---|---|
| Lockheed Martin | $65B+ | F-35, missiles, space, helicopters (Sikorsky), C4ISR |
| RTX (Raytheon) | $43B+ | Missiles, sensors, engines (Pratt & Whitney), defense electronics |
| Boeing Defense | $32B+ | Military aircraft, satellites, rotorcraft, weapons |
| General Dynamics | $30B+ | Submarines, combat vehicles, IT services, business jets |
| Northrop Grumman | $28B+ | B-21, strategic deterrence, space, autonomous systems |
| L3Harris | $13B+ | Communications, ISR, avionics, mission systems |
| Huntington Ingalls | $10B+ | Aircraft carriers, submarines, surface combatants |
| Leidos | $9B+ | IT services, intelligence, defense health |
| BAE Systems Inc. | $8B+ | Combat vehicles, weapons, electronic warfare |
US defense procurement concentrates among a handful of prime contractors. The top five primes alone account for approximately half of all DoD procurement spending.
Which states have the most defense manufacturing?
| State | A&D employment | Anchor activities |
|---|---|---|
| California | 135,000 | Lockheed, Northrop Grumman, SpaceX, Boeing, Aerojet Rocketdyne |
| Virginia | 85,000 | Newport News shipbuilding, Northrop, BAE, deep DoD presence |
| Texas | 80,000 | Lockheed F-35, Bell, L3Harris, Raytheon |
| Florida | 72,000 | Lockheed, Boeing Defense, NASA, MacDill / Eglin / NAS Jacksonville |
| Washington | 65,000 | Boeing Defense, naval bases, Bremerton shipyard |
| Massachusetts | 60,000 | Raytheon, MIT Lincoln Lab, Draper, defense electronics |
| Connecticut | 58,000 | Pratt & Whitney, Sikorsky, Electric Boat |
| Arizona | 47,000 | Raytheon Missile Systems, Boeing AH-64, Northrop |
| Maryland | 42,000 | NSA/Cyber, Northrop, Lockheed, defense IT cluster |
| Alabama | 38,000 | Redstone Arsenal cluster, missile and rotorcraft work |
How many ITAR-registered entities are there in the US?
US entities holding active DDTC ITAR registration as of 2024.
ITAR (International Traffic in Arms Regulations) governs the export and disclosure of defense-related technology. Any company that manufactures, exports, or brokers defense articles or services must register with the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls. ITAR registration is not a certification of capability, but it is a baseline gate for defense work.
Maintaining a resilient defense industrial base requires investment across hundreds of critical sub-tier suppliers, many of which serve commercial markets as their primary business.
What does this mean for defense suppliers in 2026?
Three forces shape the competitive picture. First, demand-side pressure is real, with primes and DoD program offices actively seeking second-source qualifications. Second, regulatory complexity has increased with CMMC, NDAA Section 889, and ITAR all gating supplier eligibility. Third, AI-driven supplier discovery has begun to influence early-stage research.
Suppliers that publish their ITAR registration, CMMC level, AS9100 status, US-citizen workforce signaling, and specific defense-relevant capabilities online accelerate their entry into prime contractor qualified-supplier lists.
Sources
- 01FY2024 National Defense Authorization Act US Congress, 2024
- 02Defense Industrial Base Profile US Department of Defense / Office of Industrial Base Policy, 2024
- 03Aerospace and Defense Facts and Figures Aerospace Industries Association, 2024
- 04Directorate of Defense Trade Controls Registrations US Department of State, 2024