The largest Western aerospace manufacturers producing complete military aircraft include Lockheed Martin, Boeing, Airbus, and Northrop Grumman, with France’s Dassault and the UK’s BAE Systems also being significant players. As of early 2026, Boeing leads in market value at $197 billion, followed by Airbus at $193 billion, Lockheed Martin at $134 billion, and Northrop Grumman at $96 billion.
Lockheed vs Airbus: Military Focus
While Airbus delivers more military helicopters, Lockheed dominates in fighter jets. Comparing tankers and transport aircraft is more complex, but overall, Lockheed is considered the larger military aircraft producer.
Airbus remains primarily a commercial aerospace company, with its defense segment—Airbus Defence and Space—making up roughly 17% of total business. Including defense-related helicopter operations, Airbus defense revenue is around 26–29% of total revenue, or roughly $23 billion.
By contrast, Lockheed Martin is heavily defense-focused, with 96% of its business in defense and 73% of revenue tied to U.S. government contracts. While Lockheed has a significant share of revenue from missiles, space, and fire control systems, its military aircraft, including the F-35, F-16, and C-130J programs, account for a substantial portion of its revenue. The F-35 program alone contributes about a quarter of total revenue, and Lockheed’s Aeronautics division drives roughly 39% of overall income.
Helicopter Production: Sikorsky vs Airbus
Lockheed’s Sikorsky subsidiary and Airbus Helicopters are among the largest military helicopter producers globally. Sikorsky delivers approximately 80 helicopters annually, including MH-60/S-70, CH-53, and VH-92 Marine One models. In January 2026, Sikorsky celebrated delivering its 350th MH-60R to the U.S. Navy.
Airbus Helicopters, the largest Western helicopter producer, delivered 361 helicopters in 2024, serving 182 customers across 42 countries. Airbus estimates roughly 150 of these are military helicopters, contributing about 11% of Airbus’s total business, with half or more being defense-focused.
Although Sikorsky ships fewer helicopters than Airbus, the higher unit value of its military helicopters means Lockheed’s military helicopter revenue may surpass Airbus’s, demonstrating that fewer units can generate greater income when the products are more specialized or advanced.
Revenue Implications
Helicopters account for an estimated 11–17% of Lockheed’s revenue, suggesting that Lockheed’s military aircraft, particularly fighter jets and advanced helicopters, generate higher overall revenue than Airbus’s military operations despite lower production volumes.
