Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
A Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft report from July 2025 found that the top five U.S. weapons contractors received $771 billion in Pentagon contracts between 2020 and 2024. Overall, private firms took in $2.4 trillion—about 54% of total Pentagon spending during that period.
The top five—Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman—together received more than double the funding allocated to diplomacy and foreign aid.
It raises a bigger question: as these companies profit heavily from defense contracts, they also contribute to high-profile civilian projects like Artemis program. Can they balance both roles, or does one overshadow the other?
A Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft report from July 2025 found that the top five U.S. weapons contractors received $771 billion in Pentagon contracts between 2020 and 2024. Overall, private firms took in $2.4 trillion—about 54% of total Pentagon spending during that period.
The top five—Lockheed Martin, RTX Corporation, Boeing, General Dynamics, and Northrop Grumman—together received more than double the funding allocated to diplomacy and foreign aid.
It raises a bigger question: as these companies profit heavily from defense contracts, they also contribute to high-profile civilian projects like Artemis program. Can they balance both roles, or does one overshadow the other?
