Boeing

Boeing has emerged as the top defence and aerospace company for 2013 based on H1 2013 earnings. The company's revenue during the period was $40.7bn, a three percent rise compared to the same period in 2012.

The Boeing Company is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Its business segments include Commercial Airplanes; Defence, Space & Security; Boeing Capital; and Shared Services. The company had delivered 476 commercial aircraft, two satellites and 117 military aircraft by the third quarter of 2013.

The product portfolio of Boeing constitutes F/A-18, F-15E Eagle, C-17 Globemaster III, P-8 Poseidon, CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache military aircraft, as well as 737, 747, 767, 777 and 787 series of commercial aircraft. The company expects to generate a full year revenue of $83bn to $86bn in 2013.

EADS

EADS (European Aeronautic Defence and Space) reported total revenue of $34.25bn for the first half of 2013, supplemented in the main part by its commercial aircraft business. Net income increased by 31%, to $987.2m, for the same period.

The Netherlands-based EADS Group includes Airbus, Eurocopter, Astrium and Cassidian, employing around 140,000 people worldwide. Airbus operates with commercial aircraft, defence and space and helicopter divisions.

The diverse product portfolio of EADS includes commercial and military fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters, satellites and satellite launchers and global security solutions and systems. EADS, through its subsidiaries and affiliates, delivers cutting edge industry solutions such as Eurofighter Typhoon, A380 wide-body aircraft, A350 XWB aircraft, A330 MRTT and A400M military aircraft.

United Technologies Corporation

United Technologies Corporation (UTC) is one of the leading manufacturers of aerospace, defence and high-technology products. The company recorded a total revenue of $30,405m and earned $2,826m profit for the six months ended 30 June 2013.

Headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut, the company operates business units such as Pratt & Whitney, UTC Aerospace Systems, Sikorsky and Otis and UTC Climate, Controls & Security. It employs 218,300 people in more than 4,000 locations across the world.

The notable defence and aerospace products of UTC are S-92 commercial helicopter, CH-53K Super Stallion and Black Hawk range of military helicopters, as well as P&W V2500 commercial, F135 and F100 military engines.

Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin is one of the world's biggest defence companies offering aerospace, defence, security and information technology solutions. The company reported net sales of $22,478m for the first half of 2013. The net earnings during the same period were $1,620m.

Lockheed Martin's business operations are broadly categorised into five segments, including Aeronautics, Information Systems & Global Solutions (IS&GS), Missiles and Fire Control, Mission Systems and Training and Space Systems. The company, based in Bethesda, Maryland, US employs about 116,000 people worldwide.

Aircraft, Ground Vehicles, Unmanned Systems, Missiles & Guided Weapons, Missile Defence Systems, Sensors and Radars, Naval Systems, Satellites, Launch Vehicles and Spacecraft, IT Systems and emerging technological solutions make up the product catalogue of Lockheed Martin.

General Dynamics

General Dynamics Corporation is a US-based aerospace and defence company offering aircraft, combat systems, marine systems and information systems and technology. The company recorded revenues of $15,315m for the first six months of 2013, while the profit for the same period was $1,211m, making it the fifth biggest defence and aerospace company in the world.

General Dynamics operates four business units, including Aerospace, Combat Systems, Information Systems and Technology, and Marine Systems. The company, based at West Falls Church, Virginia, maintains a global workforce of about 95,000 people.

The product range of General Dynamics constitutes notable offerings such as the Gulfstream G650 business-jet, Stryker combat vehicle, Virginia-Class submarines and Arleigh Burke Class of guided missile destroyers (DDGs).

Northrop Grumman

The American defence and aerospace company Northrop Grumman reported total sales of $12,398m and net earnings of $977m for the first half of 2013, standing at sixth place. Northrop Grumman offers unmanned systems, cyber, C4ISR and logistics solutions for military and commercial customers.

Northrop Grumman is headquartered in West Falls Church, Virginia, and employs about 70,000 people. Its business activities are organised into four segments - Aerospace Systems, Electronic Systems, Information Systems and Technical Services.

The RQ-4 Global Hawk, B-2 Spirit, BQM-74 Chukar, C-2 Greyhound, E-2 Hawkeye, EA-6B Prowler and AN/AQS-24A Airborne Minehunting System are some of the notable solutions developed by Northrop Grumman.

BAE Systems

BAE Systems, a British global defence, aerospace and security company, reported revenues of $12,093m for the first six months of 2013, making it the seventh biggest. The company earned a profit of $631m for the same period.

BAE Systems delivers products and services for defence forces, as well as mission critical electronics, security, IT & Information Systems and technical services. The multinational organisation employs 88,200 skilled people in the UK, US, Australia, India and Saudi Arabia.

BAE's business segments include Electronic Systems, Cyber & Intelligence and Platforms & Services. It supports major defence projects such as the F-35 Lightning II, Eurofighter Typhoon, Astute-class submarines and the Queen Elizabeth-Class aircraft carriers.

Raytheon

Raytheon Company is one of the leading suppliers of aerospace and defence products for military, security and civil markets. The company's total net sales for the first half of 2013 stood at $11,994m, making it the world's eighth biggest defence and aerospace company. Net income during the corresponding period was $987m.

Raytheon is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts, and employs 68,000 people globally. The operating business units of the company are Integrated Defence Systems (IDS), Intelligence, Information and Services (IIS), Missile Systems (MS) and Space and Airborne Systems (SAS).

The product portfolio of the company covers Air and Missile Defence Systems (Patriot, Maverick and Sidewinder missiles), Radar Systems (X-band Radar/XBR), Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Intelligence (C4I), Naval Solutions and Space Solutions.

Finmeccanica

Finmeccanica, the multinational aerospace, defence and security conglomerate based in Rome, Italy, is the ninth biggest defence and aerospace company in the world. The company recorded total revenue of $10,429m for the first half of 2013, but posted a net loss of $81.3m due to non-recurring expenses.

Finmeccanica's business segments include Helicopters, Defence and Security Electronics, Aeronautics, Space, Defence Systems, and Energy and Transportation. AgustaWestland, Alenia Aermacchi, OTO Melara, DRS Technologies and Selex are major affiliates of Finmeccanica.

The company offers innovative products such as AW101, AW169 and AW189 helicopters, M346 advanced trainer aircraft, ATR 72 aircraft and C-27J Spartan military transport aircraft. It employs a work force of 66,782 people.

GE Aviation

GE Aviation, an operating segment of General Electric Company, reported revenues of $10,377m in the first six months of 2013, becoming the world's tenth biggest defence and aerospace company. The Aviation segment earned a profit of $2bn, a 12% raise over the first half of 2012.

GE Aviation is one of the top aircraft engine manufacturers in the world. It supplies marine propulsion solutions as well as a wide variety of jet engines and components for commercial and military aircraft. The company is headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and maintains an employee base of 39,000.

The product portfolio of GE Aviation includes high-bypass turbofan engines (CFM56 and GEnx), turboprops (M601), turbo-shafts (GE38) and marine propulsion systems (LM2500).

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