The SIPRI Top 100 arms-producing companies, 2008
Also available in presentation mode…
Introduction
This is the 20th year in which SIPRI has ranked the world’s largest arms-producing companies in the SIPRI Top 100. The list is based on the comprehensive SIPRI Arms Industry Database, which contains financial and employment data on the world’s major arms-producing companies (with the exception of China).
In 2008, the SIPRI Top 100 maintained the upward trend in their arms sales, which reached $385 billion, an increase of $39 billion over their arms sales in 2007.
- To put these figures into perspective, total OECD development aid was $120 billion in 2008.
- The arms sales of Lockheed Martin—the largest arms producer in the USA in 2008—were $4 billion higher (at $30 billion) than the USA’s development assistance budget of $26 billion.
- BAE Systems’ 2008 arms sales alone were larger than the GDPs of 105 of the countries ranked by the World Bank.
Four companies that illustrate some interesting developments in the SIPRI Top 100 for 2008 are:
- BAE Systems—truly international, the 1st non-US company to head the Top 100
- Navistar—new entrant at 20th place, 960 per cent increase in arms sales
- Almaz-Antei—1st Russian company in the top 20
- Boeing—falls from 1st place
Overview: the top 20 in 2008
2008 rank |
2007 rank |
Company (country) |
2008 arms sales (US$ m.) |
2007 arms sales (US$ m.) |
Arms sales as share of company’s total sales (%), 2008 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
2 |
BAE Systems (UK |
32 420 |
29 860 |
95 |
|
2 |
3 |
Lockheed Martin (USA) |
29 880 |
29 400 |
70 |
|
3 |
1 |
Boeing (USA) |
29 200 |
30 480 |
48 |
|
4 |
4 |
Northrop Grumman (USA) |
26 090 |
24 600 |
77 |
|
5 |
5 |
General Dynamics (USA) |
22 780 |
21 520 |
78 |
|
6 |
6 |
Raytheon (USA) |
21 030 |
19 540 |
91 |
|
7 |
7 |
EADS (W.Europe) |
17 900 |
13 100 |
28 |
|
8 |
9 |
Finmeccanica (Italy) |
13 020 |
9 850 |
52 |
|
9 |
8 |
L-3 Communications (USA) |
12 160 |
11 240 |
82 |
|
10 |
10 |
Thales (France) |
10 760 |
9 350 |
58 |
|
11 |
11 |
United Technologies (USA) |
9 980 |
8 760 |
17 |
|
12 |
12 |
SAIC (USA) |
7 350 |
6 250 |
73 |
|
13 |
16 |
KBR (USA) |
5 730 |
5 000 |
50 |
|
14 |
13 |
Computer Sciences Corp. (USA) |
5 710 |
5 420 |
34 |
|
15 |
15 |
Honeywell (USA) |
5 310 |
5 020 |
15 |
|
16 |
19 |
ITT Corporation (USA) |
5 170 |
3 850 |
44 |
|
17 |
17 |
Rolls Royce (UK) |
4 720 |
4 580 |
28 |
|
18 |
23 |
Almaz-Antei (Russia) |
4 340 |
2 780 |
94 |
|
19 |
25 |
AM General (USA) |
4 040 |
2 670 |
. . |
|
20 |
N |
Navistar (USA) |
3 900 |
370 |
26 |
N = New to the SIPRI Top 100
Arms sales are defined by SIPRI as sales of military goods and services to military customers, including both domestic and export sales. Military goods and services are those which are designed specifically for military purposes.
Download the SIPRI Top 100 Fact Sheet.
Arms sales of the top 20 arms-producing companies, 2002 and 2008
