GITNUXREPORT 2026

Marketing In The Arms Industry Statistics

The arms industry is booming, with soaring budgets, major trade shows, and a decisive shift to digital marketing.

Alexander Schmidt

Research Analyst specializing in technology and digital transformation trends.

First published: Feb 13, 2026

Our Commitment to Accuracy

Rigorous fact-checking · Reputable sources · Regular updatesLearn more

Statistic 1

LinkedIn has 1.5M defense professionals.

Statistic 2

60% defense firms use social media marketing.

Statistic 3

Lockheed Martin LinkedIn followers 1.2M.

Statistic 4

Raytheon Twitter engagement 5% avg post.

Statistic 5

Defense SEO market grew 15% YoY 2023.

Statistic 6

45% procurement officers research online first.

Statistic 7

Email marketing ROI 4200% in defense sector.

Statistic 8

YouTube defense channel views 500M annually.

Statistic 9

30% arms firms invest in VR demos online.

Statistic 10

PPC ad spend in defense $2B yearly.

Statistic 11

Instagram reels boost engagement 25% for BAE.

Statistic 12

Website traffic to top arms sites up 20% post-Ukraine.

Statistic 13

55% use LinkedIn for lead gen in arms trade.

Statistic 14

Content marketing downloads 1M/year from Raytheon site.

Statistic 15

TikTok banned but alt platforms used by 15% firms.

Statistic 16

Google Ads CTR 2.5% avg defense keywords.

Statistic 17

40% budget shift to digital from print 2020-23.

Statistic 18

Podcast sponsorships up 300% in defense niche.

Statistic 19

AR apps downloaded 500k by military users.

Statistic 20

Influencer marketing trials by 10% top firms.

Statistic 21

Cybersecurity webinar attendance 50k/year.

Statistic 22

Mobile app installs 2M for training sims.

Statistic 23

Social ad spend $500M in defense 2023.

Statistic 24

Video content views 80% of digital traffic.

Statistic 25

Chatbot leads 15k/month top sites.

Statistic 26

NFT trials for equipment demos by 2 firms.

Statistic 27

65% execs influenced by online reviews.

Statistic 28

Boeing digital campaigns reach 10M impressions.

Statistic 29

Lockheed Martin arms sales $67 billion in 2022.

Statistic 30

RTX (Raytheon) revenue $67.1 billion FY2022.

Statistic 31

Northrop Grumman sales $39.3 billion in 2023.

Statistic 32

Boeing defense segment $25 billion revenue 2022.

Statistic 33

BAE Systems sales £25.3 billion in 2023.

Statistic 34

General Dynamics revenue $39.4 billion 2022.

Statistic 35

L3Harris Technologies $17.8 billion sales 2022.

Statistic 36

US firms hold 51% of top 100 arms sales.

Statistic 37

French firms 11% global arms market share.

Statistic 38

Chinese arms exports up 5.2% 2018-22.

Statistic 39

Russian arms exports down 53% 2018-22.

Statistic 40

Leonardo S.p.A. revenue €15.3 billion 2022.

Statistic 41

Thales Group sales €18.4 billion 2023.

Statistic 42

Saab AB revenue SEK 41.3 billion 2022.

Statistic 43

Rheinmetall sales €6.4 billion 2022.

Statistic 44

Elbit Systems $5.5 billion revenue 2022.

Statistic 45

Top 5 US firms 35% of global arms sales.

Statistic 46

Airbus Defence revenue €11.5 billion 2022.

Statistic 47

Huntington Ingalls $10.7 billion sales 2022.

Statistic 48

Textron $13.7 billion revenue 2022.

Statistic 49

Dassault Aviation €4.8 billion sales 2022.

Statistic 50

Israel Aerospace Industries $5.5 billion 2022.

Statistic 51

Rolls-Royce defence aerospace £6.5 billion 2022.

Statistic 52

MBDA revenue €4 billion est. 2022.

Statistic 53

EDGE Group UAE revenue $5 billion 2022.

Statistic 54

Top 100 arms firms profit margin avg 9.8% 2022.

Statistic 55

US DoD contracts awarded $150 billion in 2022.

Statistic 56

Global arms trade revenue reached $592 billion in 2018-22.

Statistic 57

US arms exports accounted for 40% of global arms trade in 2022.

Statistic 58

Defense marketing budgets grew 5.2% annually from 2018-2023.

Statistic 59

Middle East arms imports surged 61% from 2013-22.

Statistic 60

Asia-Oceania region saw 45% arms import increase 2018-22.

Statistic 61

European arms exports rose 12% in 2018-22.

Statistic 62

Global military expenditure hit $2.24 trillion in 2022.

Statistic 63

Arms industry revenue projected to $600 billion by 2025.

Statistic 64

Top 100 arms firms sales totaled $592 billion in 2022.

Statistic 65

India became world's largest arms importer at 9.8% share 2018-22.

Statistic 66

Saudi Arabia arms imports fell 17% but still top five importers.

Statistic 67

Defense aviation market size $824 billion in 2023.

Statistic 68

Land defense systems market to grow at 5.1% CAGR to 2030.

Statistic 69

Naval defense market valued at $452 billion in 2022.

Statistic 70

C4ISR market projected $140 billion by 2028.

Statistic 71

Global missile defense market $12.1 billion in 2023.

Statistic 72

Unmanned systems market to reach $40 billion by 2026.

Statistic 73

Cyber defense market growth 12% CAGR to 2030.

Statistic 74

Soldier systems market $12.5 billion by 2027.

Statistic 75

Global arms export market dominated by 5 nations with 76% share.

Statistic 76

Defense electronics market $200 billion in 2023.

Statistic 77

Armored vehicles market $32 billion by 2028.

Statistic 78

Global military radar market $15 billion in 2022.

Statistic 79

Defense IT spending $130 billion in 2023.

Statistic 80

Space defense market $18 billion by 2027.

Statistic 81

Global artillery systems market $25 billion in 2023.

Statistic 82

Military robots market to $24 billion by 2025.

Statistic 83

Defense simulation market $14 billion by 2026.

Statistic 84

Global military aircraft market $105 billion in 2022.

Statistic 85

Arms trade volume increased 3.9% 2018-22 vs prior period.

Statistic 86

DSEI 2023 attracted 35,000 visitors.

Statistic 87

IDEX Abu Dhabi 2023 had 1,300 exhibitors.

Statistic 88

Eurosatory Paris 2024 expects 60,000 attendees.

Statistic 89

Farnborough Airshow 2022 generated £28 billion business.

Statistic 90

AUSA Annual Meeting 2023 had 35,000 visitors.

Statistic 91

IMDEX Asia 2023 featured 200 exhibitors.

Statistic 92

SOF Week 2023 drew 10,000 attendees.

Statistic 93

Milipol Paris 2023 had 1,000 exhibitors.

Statistic 94

Sea-Air-Space Expo 2023 12,000 attendees.

Statistic 95

DEFEA Athens 2023 500 exhibitors.

Statistic 96

Hemus Bulgaria 2022 300 companies.

Statistic 97

Indo Defence 2022 Jakarta 1,000 exhibitors.

Statistic 98

MSPO Poland 2023 700 exhibitors.

Statistic 99

Dubai Airshow 2023 expected 100,000 visitors.

Statistic 100

Avalon Airshow Australia 1,000 exhibitors.

Statistic 101

SITDEF Peru 2023 200 exhibitors.

Statistic 102

LAAD Brazil 2023 450 exhibitors.

Statistic 103

KADEX Kazakhstan 2022 800 exhibitors.

Statistic 104

Army 2023 Forum Russia 1,300 exhibitors.

Statistic 105

Black Sea Bang 2023 Romania 100 exhibitors.

Statistic 106

Trade shows account for 40% of arms sales leads.

Statistic 107

DSEI London generates £2 billion orders avg.

Statistic 108

ILA Berlin Airshow 2022 300 exhibitors.

Statistic 109

Trade fair exhibitor costs avg $500k per event.

Statistic 110

70% defense execs attend 3+ shows yearly.

Statistic 111

Singapore Airshow 2024 50,000 visitors.

Statistic 112

DefExpo India 2022 1,200 exhibitors.

Statistic 113

World Defense Show Riyadh 2022 900 exhibitors.

Statistic 114

25% arms deals initiated at trade shows.

Statistic 115

Lobbying spend by top arms firms $100M in 2022.

Statistic 116

US F-35 program value $1.7 trillion lifetime.

Statistic 117

Offset agreements in 80% international deals.

Statistic 118

Government contracts 90% of arms revenue.

Statistic 119

Foreign Military Sales $80B in FY2023.

Statistic 120

Direct Commercial Sales $150B approved 2022.

Statistic 121

25% deals use financing packages.

Statistic 122

Tech transfer in 60% Middle East contracts.

Statistic 123

Avg contract length 10 years in arms sales.

Statistic 124

Price bidding wins 70% competitive tenders.

Statistic 125

After-sales support 30% of contract value.

Statistic 126

Joint ventures in 15% export deals.

Statistic 127

Demo flights convert 40% to sales.

Statistic 128

Customization adds 20% premium pricing.

Statistic 129

PAC-3 missile sales $14B to allies.

Statistic 130

Lease options in 10% naval deals.

Statistic 131

Risk-sharing partnerships 25% large programs.

Statistic 132

Export controls delay 30% potential sales.

Statistic 133

Multi-year contracts stabilize 50% revenue.

Statistic 134

B2B sales cycles avg 24 months.

Statistic 135

Patriot systems exported to 19 nations.

Statistic 136

Industrial participation offsets avg 100% value.

Statistic 137

Digital twins used in 20% sales pitches.

Statistic 138

Subscription models trialed in cyber tools.

Statistic 139

35% sales from upselling upgrades.

Statistic 140

Trade credit offered in 50% deals.

Statistic 141

Teaming agreements 40% competitive bids.

Statistic 142

Lifecycle cost focus wins 60% tenders.

Statistic 143

Regulatory compliance 95% contract requirement.

Statistic 144

Global supply chain marketing key for 70% firms.

1/144

Sources

Trusted by 500+ publications

+497

In an era where global military spending surpasses two trillion dollars and every trade show booth could represent a billion-dollar deal, mastering the art of marketing has become the unseen battlefield for dominance in the modern arms industry.

Key Takeaways

Global arms trade revenue reached $592 billion in 2018-22.
US arms exports accounted for 40% of global arms trade in 2022.
Defense marketing budgets grew 5.2% annually from 2018-2023.
Lockheed Martin arms sales $67 billion in 2022.
RTX (Raytheon) revenue $67.1 billion FY2022.
Northrop Grumman sales $39.3 billion in 2023.
DSEI 2023 attracted 35,000 visitors.
IDEX Abu Dhabi 2023 had 1,300 exhibitors.
Eurosatory Paris 2024 expects 60,000 attendees.
LinkedIn has 1.5M defense professionals.
60% defense firms use social media marketing.
Lockheed Martin LinkedIn followers 1.2M.
Lobbying spend by top arms firms $100M in 2022.
US F-35 program value $1.7 trillion lifetime.
Offset agreements in 80% international deals.

The arms industry is booming, with soaring budgets, major trade shows, and a decisive shift to digital marketing.

Digital Marketing Strategies

LinkedIn has 1.5M defense professionals.
60% defense firms use social media marketing.
Lockheed Martin LinkedIn followers 1.2M.
Raytheon Twitter engagement 5% avg post.
Defense SEO market grew 15% YoY 2023.
45% procurement officers research online first.
Email marketing ROI 4200% in defense sector.
YouTube defense channel views 500M annually.
30% arms firms invest in VR demos online.
PPC ad spend in defense $2B yearly.
Instagram reels boost engagement 25% for BAE.
Website traffic to top arms sites up 20% post-Ukraine.
55% use LinkedIn for lead gen in arms trade.
Content marketing downloads 1M/year from Raytheon site.
TikTok banned but alt platforms used by 15% firms.
Google Ads CTR 2.5% avg defense keywords.
40% budget shift to digital from print 2020-23.
Podcast sponsorships up 300% in defense niche.
AR apps downloaded 500k by military users.
Influencer marketing trials by 10% top firms.
Cybersecurity webinar attendance 50k/year.
Mobile app installs 2M for training sims.
Social ad spend $500M in defense 2023.
Video content views 80% of digital traffic.
Chatbot leads 15k/month top sites.
NFT trials for equipment demos by 2 firms.
65% execs influenced by online reviews.
Boeing digital campaigns reach 10M impressions.

Digital Marketing Strategies Interpretation

Despite operating in a world of serious hardware, the modern arms industry clearly understands that its most critical battles for attention, trust, and multi-billion dollar contracts are now fought and won in the digital domain, from LinkedIn lead generation to VR demos and podcasts.

Key Players and Market Share

Lockheed Martin arms sales $67 billion in 2022.
RTX (Raytheon) revenue $67.1 billion FY2022.
Northrop Grumman sales $39.3 billion in 2023.
Boeing defense segment $25 billion revenue 2022.
BAE Systems sales £25.3 billion in 2023.
General Dynamics revenue $39.4 billion 2022.
L3Harris Technologies $17.8 billion sales 2022.
US firms hold 51% of top 100 arms sales.
French firms 11% global arms market share.
Chinese arms exports up 5.2% 2018-22.
Russian arms exports down 53% 2018-22.
Leonardo S.p.A. revenue €15.3 billion 2022.
Thales Group sales €18.4 billion 2023.
Saab AB revenue SEK 41.3 billion 2022.
Rheinmetall sales €6.4 billion 2022.
Elbit Systems $5.5 billion revenue 2022.
Top 5 US firms 35% of global arms sales.
Airbus Defence revenue €11.5 billion 2022.
Huntington Ingalls $10.7 billion sales 2022.
Textron $13.7 billion revenue 2022.
Dassault Aviation €4.8 billion sales 2022.
Israel Aerospace Industries $5.5 billion 2022.
Rolls-Royce defence aerospace £6.5 billion 2022.
MBDA revenue €4 billion est. 2022.
EDGE Group UAE revenue $5 billion 2022.
Top 100 arms firms profit margin avg 9.8% 2022.
US DoD contracts awarded $150 billion in 2022.

Key Players and Market Share Interpretation

The global arms market is a trillion-dollar dinner party where the U.S. firms are the hosts who own the dining room, everyone else is arguing over the side dishes, and peace is apparently a really bad customer.

Market Size and Growth

Global arms trade revenue reached $592 billion in 2018-22.
US arms exports accounted for 40% of global arms trade in 2022.
Defense marketing budgets grew 5.2% annually from 2018-2023.
Middle East arms imports surged 61% from 2013-22.
Asia-Oceania region saw 45% arms import increase 2018-22.
European arms exports rose 12% in 2018-22.
Global military expenditure hit $2.24 trillion in 2022.
Arms industry revenue projected to $600 billion by 2025.
Top 100 arms firms sales totaled $592 billion in 2022.
India became world's largest arms importer at 9.8% share 2018-22.
Saudi Arabia arms imports fell 17% but still top five importers.
Defense aviation market size $824 billion in 2023.
Land defense systems market to grow at 5.1% CAGR to 2030.
Naval defense market valued at $452 billion in 2022.
C4ISR market projected $140 billion by 2028.
Global missile defense market $12.1 billion in 2023.
Unmanned systems market to reach $40 billion by 2026.
Cyber defense market growth 12% CAGR to 2030.
Soldier systems market $12.5 billion by 2027.
Global arms export market dominated by 5 nations with 76% share.
Defense electronics market $200 billion in 2023.
Armored vehicles market $32 billion by 2028.
Global military radar market $15 billion in 2022.
Defense IT spending $130 billion in 2023.
Space defense market $18 billion by 2027.
Global artillery systems market $25 billion in 2023.
Military robots market to $24 billion by 2025.
Defense simulation market $14 billion by 2026.
Global military aircraft market $105 billion in 2022.
Arms trade volume increased 3.9% 2018-22 vs prior period.

Market Size and Growth Interpretation

In a world where peace is perpetually marketed as a product just out of reach, the global arms industry, with its half-trillion-dollar revenues and escalating marketing budgets, has proven itself to be the one sector where business is always booming, conflict is the ultimate sales driver, and geopolitical tension is simply a sign of a healthy market.

Marketing Events and Trade Shows

DSEI 2023 attracted 35,000 visitors.
IDEX Abu Dhabi 2023 had 1,300 exhibitors.
Eurosatory Paris 2024 expects 60,000 attendees.
Farnborough Airshow 2022 generated £28 billion business.
AUSA Annual Meeting 2023 had 35,000 visitors.
IMDEX Asia 2023 featured 200 exhibitors.
SOF Week 2023 drew 10,000 attendees.
Milipol Paris 2023 had 1,000 exhibitors.
Sea-Air-Space Expo 2023 12,000 attendees.
DEFEA Athens 2023 500 exhibitors.
Hemus Bulgaria 2022 300 companies.
Indo Defence 2022 Jakarta 1,000 exhibitors.
MSPO Poland 2023 700 exhibitors.
Dubai Airshow 2023 expected 100,000 visitors.
Avalon Airshow Australia 1,000 exhibitors.
SITDEF Peru 2023 200 exhibitors.
LAAD Brazil 2023 450 exhibitors.
KADEX Kazakhstan 2022 800 exhibitors.
Army 2023 Forum Russia 1,300 exhibitors.
Black Sea Bang 2023 Romania 100 exhibitors.
Trade shows account for 40% of arms sales leads.
DSEI London generates £2 billion orders avg.
ILA Berlin Airshow 2022 300 exhibitors.
Trade fair exhibitor costs avg $500k per event.
70% defense execs attend 3+ shows yearly.
Singapore Airshow 2024 50,000 visitors.
DefExpo India 2022 1,200 exhibitors.
World Defense Show Riyadh 2022 900 exhibitors.
25% arms deals initiated at trade shows.

Marketing Events and Trade Shows Interpretation

Even as global tensions rise, the relentless calendar of packed defense expos—where exhibitors invest half a million dollars per booth and executives constantly circle the globe—shows that for the arms industry, business and geopolitics are always conducted hand-in-hand.

Sales Strategies and Contracts

Lobbying spend by top arms firms $100M in 2022.
US F-35 program value $1.7 trillion lifetime.
Offset agreements in 80% international deals.
Government contracts 90% of arms revenue.
Foreign Military Sales $80B in FY2023.
Direct Commercial Sales $150B approved 2022.
25% deals use financing packages.
Tech transfer in 60% Middle East contracts.
Avg contract length 10 years in arms sales.
Price bidding wins 70% competitive tenders.
After-sales support 30% of contract value.
Joint ventures in 15% export deals.
Demo flights convert 40% to sales.
Customization adds 20% premium pricing.
PAC-3 missile sales $14B to allies.
Lease options in 10% naval deals.
Risk-sharing partnerships 25% large programs.
Export controls delay 30% potential sales.
Multi-year contracts stabilize 50% revenue.
B2B sales cycles avg 24 months.
Patriot systems exported to 19 nations.
Industrial participation offsets avg 100% value.
Digital twins used in 20% sales pitches.
Subscription models trialed in cyber tools.
35% sales from upselling upgrades.
Trade credit offered in 50% deals.
Teaming agreements 40% competitive bids.
Lifecycle cost focus wins 60% tenders.
Regulatory compliance 95% contract requirement.
Global supply chain marketing key for 70% firms.

Sales Strategies and Contracts Interpretation

The arms industry is a masterful machine, lubricated by lobbying, locked in by decades-long government contracts, and discreetly financed through every conceivable mechanism to ensure that the business of security remains a perpetual, and profoundly lucrative, subscription.