Lockheed Martin is one of the largest defense industry companies in the United States of America and the world, its headquarters is located in Betisda, Maryland, was founded in 1995 when Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta merged into one group called “Lockheed Martin”.
This integration was a pivotal turning point in the American defense industry, as Lockheed Martin started towards global leadership through its various activities in the fields of space, defense, security and technology.
According to the official data of the company until the limits of 2025, it includes more than 121,000 employees around the world, working in more than 350 international facilities, and retired military personnel constitute about 20 % of them.
In 2025, the company received sharp criticism from international human rights organizations, for its contribution to providing Israel with the military equipment it used in the genocide war on the Gaza Strip.
Foundation
The roots of “Lockheed Martin” go back to the beginning of the 20th century, when Glin L. Martin founded Martin aircraft company in Los Angeles in 1912, whose headquarters later moved to Baltimore, before merged in 1961 with the company “American Marietta” and turns into “Martin Marietta”.
As for the “Lockheed” aircraft company, it was established in 1926 in the city of Barbank, California, and formed an extension of the attempts of the brothers Lockheed in the field of aviation since 1912.
On March 15, 1995, Lockheed merged with Martin Marietta, which led to the birth of the company “Lockheed Martin”, which in a few years turned into the largest defense and space industries companies in the world.
Great fields of specialization
It is the largest sector within the company, in 2024, about 39 % of its total revenue, thanks to its production of a wide range of the most prominent combat aircraft in the world, led by the “F-35 Liteng 2” program, which is the largest multi-task-generation fighter project in the world, and alone constitutes about 18 % of the company’s revenues.
The sector also includes the production and maintenance of the F-16 Valentine Falcon, which is scattered in dozens of countries, and F-22 Raptor fighter combat for the American Air Force, as well as advanced aviation projects led by the famous research center “Sakas and Wersex, which invented” U-2 “and” SR-71 “.
- The missile sector and the shooting control systems
According to the company’s data for the year 2024, such a sector is about 18 % of revenues, thanks to the development of accurate and varied armament systems, strategic missile programs such as “Advanced Patriot – version 3”, “Thaad” system for intercepting ballistic missiles at high altitudes, in addition to long -range “Jasim” missiles, and “Hilvier” guided.
The sector also undertakes the design of advanced targeting and controlling systems that integrate into military fighters and vehicles to enhance accuracy and combat efficiency.
- Rotary and task systems sector
This sector constituted about 24 % of revenues in 2024, and combines various products that include helicopters, marine systems and defense communications.
It consists of the company “Sikor Sky”, which specializes in the manufacture of helicopters, led by “UH-60 Black Hawk” and “CH-53 K. King Stallion”.
The sector also produces the “Ajis” system, an integrated fighting system that is mainly dedicated to marine operations, used to supply destroyers and steps with advanced defensive capabilities.
This sector is also developing radar, leadership and control systems, and cyber solutions for defense tasks.
About 18% of the company’s revenues in 2024, and includes the development of nuclear deterrent missile programs such as “Tradence D5 II” used in American submarines.
The sector also contributes to the “Orion” satellite program of the National Air Navigation and Space Administration, known as “NASA”, which is devoted to deep trips that take place outside the direct orbit of the Earth or the gravitational belt to the moon and Mars within the “Artemis” program.
The sector is also involved in the operation and development of global navigation systems “GPS”, in addition to the telecommunications and satellite systems used in military reconnaissance and satellite missile defense.
Financial performance
Lockheed Martin is a model for major international companies in terms of stable and growing financial performance, as its revenues amounted to about $ 71 billion in 2024, an increase of 5% compared to $ 67.6 billion in 2023, with a net profit of $ 5.3 billion.
The company also recorded the same year fee a record of accumulated requests amounting to $ 176 billion, which saves more than two years of future revenues, and enabled them to allocate about 3 billion dollars for research and development in order to enhance technological innovation.
The network of suppliers and investment around the world
In 2024, the company cooperated with 13181 resources, of whom more than 12200 in the United States and 932 from different regions of the world, and were allocated 36 billion dollars for investment, which included all American states, in addition to suppliers in 53 countries.
Thanks to the network of its suppliers, the company owns more than 350 facilities around the world, and in the same year it has granted about 7 million dollars to more than 7100 suppliers of startups, in support and enhancement of supply chains.
Customers and international partners
The company deals with more than 70 countries around the world, and the United States is its first customer, followed by a group of allied countries such as Australia, Germany, Israel, Japan, the United Kingdom and several other countries.
This international network of customers contributes to strengthening the company’s role as a major engine of economic opportunities and developing defense industries on a global scale.
These partnerships were practically embodied in large deals such as the “F-35” maintenance support with Poland in August 2025, at a value of $ 1.85 billion, with the aim of strengthening the Polish defense capabilities.
On the level of international partners, the company brings together strategic partnerships with global institutions through which it aims to enhance its technological production and capabilities, the most prominent of which are “Nafezia”, ”Eindra”, “Wizia” and “Sinar” in Spain, and the company “Rentettal” in Germany, in addition to the companies “Sikor Sky”, “Hilli One” and “Melston” in Brazil.
Criticism
Lockheed Martin faced sharp criticism from human rights organizations and the international community for its role in providing Israel with weapons and military technology, which is used in genocide and human crimes against Palestinian civilians in Gaza.
The company is one of the most prominent military suppliers of Israel, as it provides it with F-16 and F-35 fighters, and missiles and other combat systems, which the Israeli army uses in extensive air attacks on Gaza, and the failure of thousands of victims, which raises questions about the legal and moral responsibility of the company.
The shares of the company witnessed a significant increase after the start of the Israeli aggression on Gaza in October 2023, which reflects the increased demand for weapons with the continued genocide.
These high profits have caused sharp criticism centered on the benefit of American arms companies from the tragedy of the Palestinians to achieve financial profits.
Calls for accountability
In February 2024, a Dutch government court ordered the export of F-35 aircraft to Israel, noting that there are “clear evidence” that they were used in violations of international humanitarian law in the Gaza Strip, and these spare parts are located in a company depot in the Dutch city of Fonsethtech.
Humanitarian organizations and human rights organizations such as “Human Rights Watch” and “Oxfam” also called for the suspension of the transfer of weapons to Israel, noting that they use them to commit crimes against humanity and severe violations of international humanitarian law.
In July 2025, the National Rights Special Resolution on Human Rights in the Occupied Palestinian Territories, Francesca Albanizi, accused Lockheed Martin and other companies of contributing to what it described as “the economy of genocide”, by providing Israel with weapons and military technology used in the killing of civilians, and called for the imposition of sanctions and accountability of the executives of these companies.
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