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161The UK has announced it will radically change its approach to defense to combat threats from Russia, nuclear risks and cyber-attacks by investing in drones and digital warfare.
Lockheed Martin has outlined a plan to help the UK build a new missile defense system.
Lockheed is offering "interceptors, ground-based sensors and space-based situational awareness - that could give the UK a first defense capability very quickly," said Lockheed's head of operations Frank St. John.
Hello everyone,
Things have been a bit quiet for me over the last few months.
Here are a few investments that I made during this period and also during the crash.
Buy:
Tranche: Entry at €57.90
Tranche: € 64.60
Entry at € 205.25
Entry at € 108.32
Entry at € 140.40
Further tranche at € 3.26
Sell:
Sell at 426€
Sale at 40,99€
During this time, I also $RHM (+1,9 %) and $TSLA (+0,99 %) shorted, losing 100% on the respective shorts :D.
What investments did you make during this time?
It is about $LMT (-0,42 %) .
I would like your opinion: Is it currently worth buying in?
Lockheed Martin has already had a few setbacks, but in view of the current geopolitical situation I think it might be worth buying now.
What do you think?
🤝 Strategic partnership between Rheinmetall $RHM (+1,9 %) (🇩🇪) & Anduril Industries (🇺🇸)
🎯 Goal: Joint development & production of:
⚔️ Previous cooperation on drone defense systems
🌍 Focus on rapid production & adaptation to NATO missions
📈 Rheinmetall share price up slightly after announcement
📊 Rheinmetall focuses on growth through:
Source:
Does anyone know what $LMT (-0,42 %) is going on? They are really banging down 🤯
🚨 Disclaimer: This is not investment advice; I am invested in all the stocks discussed here.
These analyses are primarily for my personal decision-making - I am happy if they also offer added value for you 🙂
Here we go already!
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Europe's defense industry has experienced a boom since the war in Ukraine: in 2024, global military spending rose by 9.4% to a record high of USD 2.72 trillion - the sharpest increase since the Cold War.
Europe in particular increased its budgets (including Russia) by around 17%, driven by the new threat situation.
This rearmament is also benefiting US arms companies, as many European armed forces are increasingly relying on US weapons systems.
🤔 Trump 2.0 - tailwind or risk for US defense stocks?
Since Donald Trump moved back into the White House in January 2025, US defense policy has changed noticeably - with a direct impact on the defense industry and its investors.
📈 Defense spending on record course
Trump has announced a defense budget for fiscal year 2026 of over 1 trillion USD an increase of 13% compared to the previous year.
Of particular note is the ambitious "Golden Dome" project, a space-based missile defense system estimated at USD 175 billion and involving companies such as Lockheed Martin and SpaceX.
📉 Protectionism as a double-edged sword
At the same time, Trump is pursuing an aggressive trade policy:
These measures could put a strain on supply chains and increase production costs for US defense companies. RTX (formerly Raytheon) expects additional costs of up to USD 850 million in 2025 alone as a result of the new tariffs.
👉 Importance of US weapons systems for Europe's defense:
Many European armed forces rely on US technology. Examples include the procurement of F-35 stealth jets (e.g. by Germany, Poland, Finland), Patriot air defense systems (e.g. by Germany, Poland) or Abrams tanks (Poland).
US systems are considered combat-proven and immediately available, which improves interoperability within NATO in Europe.
Europe benefits from US innovations (e.g. drones, missiles, fighter jets), while the USA receives stable sales markets in return.
Especially against the backdrop of the war in Ukraine and new threats (Russia, terror, unstable regions), Europe's dependence on US armaments continues to grow.
🚨 Even if Europe wants to become more "strategically autonomous" in the long term, US defense systems are irreplaceable for the foreseeable future. Anyone who wants to seriously pursue national or alliance defense needs US technology - both operationally and politically.
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📍 Stock analysis - Fundamental & Technical
Following this overview, here are six selected US defense stocks in detail.
For each share, we look at the strategic benefits, current business figures including management outlook, key valuation ratios, analyst assessments, the attractiveness of entering the market at the current price and the dividend situation.
ℹ️ My approach to technical analysis:
My entries are usually follow-on purchases as part of a long-term buy-and-hold approach. I do not try to time tops or bottoms, but look for zones where opportunities and risks are well balanced in the long term.
👉 Important here: sometimes "doing nothing" is the best decision.
If the price doesn't reach my buyback zones - then I simply don't buy more. Patience is often a better entry trigger than actionism (especially in the case of highly volatile defense stocks).
📉 I let the market come to me - not the other way around.
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📍 Lockheed Martin $LMT (-0,42 %)
Strategic benefit:
World leader in stealth jets (F-35), missile defense, space - essential for NATO partners.
Key points:
📈 LMT weekly chart (logarithmic) - 50 & 200-week SMA, volume profile
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📍 RTX Corporation $RTX (-1,24 %)
Strategic benefit:
Combines military systems (Patriot, missiles) with commercial aviation (Pratt & Whitney).
Key points:
📈 RTX weekly chart (logarithmic) - 50 & 200-week SMA, volume profile
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📍 General Dynamics $GD (-0,78 %)
Strategic benefit:
Strong in tanks (Abrams), submarines, naval vessels - broad portfolio + Gulfstream business jets.
Key points:
📈 GD weekly chart (logarithmic) - 50 & 200-week SMA, volume profile
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📍 Northrop Grumman $NOC (-0,72 %)
Strategic benefit:
High-tech focus: B-21, missiles, drones, cyber & space - Key role in future conflicts.
Key points:
📈 NOC weekly chart (logarithmic) - 50 & 200-week SMA, volume profile
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📍 Huntington Ingalls $HII (+1,62 %)
Strategic benefit:
Only US aircraft carrier builder; key role in Navy ships & nuclear-powered submarines.
Key points:
📈 HII weekly chart (logarithmic) - 50 & 200-week SMA, volume profile
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📍 CACI International $CACI (+0,69 %)
Strategic benefit:
Specialist in cybersecurity, intelligence & AI - delivers digital capabilities for the modern military.
Key points:
📈 CACI weekly chart (logarithmic) - 50 & 200-week SMA, volume profile
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🤔 Now it's your turn:
Which defense stocks do you have in your portfolio - or are you currently looking at?
Would you be interested in an analysis of European defense stocks?
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📍 Sources:
Charts:
TradingView
+ 4
According to Lockheed Martin, a version of the F-35 Lightning II that can also be used without a pilot on board could be realized in a relatively short time.
After losing out to Boeing's F-47 in the billion-euro competition for the US Air Force's new fighter aircraft, Lockheed Martin is now focusing entirely on the F-35. Company boss Jim Taiclet announced back in April that he wanted to "turn the Lightning II into a Ferrari". Compared to the winner of the NGAD (Next Generation Air Dominance) program, the fighter jet offers 80 percent of the performance at only half the price.
The engineers could incorporate several technologies that they have developed for various projects for sixth-generation jets. These include the option of flying the F-35 without a pilot. Taiclet hinted at this possibility during a conference in the USA. "We could make the F-35 pilot optional in a relatively modest timeframe, based on a lot of the development we've done," he said. Further improvements such as new stealth coatings or modifications to the airframe to reduce detectability would be conceivable in two to three years' time, he said.
Together with unmanned jets
Possible changes to the shape of the fighter aircraft mainly relate to the air intakes and thrust nozzle of the engine. The avionics will also receive a significant upgrade in order to work together with the unmanned jets from the CCA (Collaborative Combat Aircraft) project, among others. According to the new plans, the F-35 itself could become an unmanned aircraft. The USAF is already testing an F-16 Fighting Falcon with autonomous flight control, even in air combat. However, Taiclet did not mention the twin-engine version of the Lightning II mentioned by US President Donald Trump.
Why an unmanned F-35?
The advantage of unmanned CCA aircraft lies in their lower price, which should enable higher unit numbers. An F-35 without pilots would not be competitive here. The only possible advantages would be for longer missions or high-risk missions. However, it is doubtful whether the USAF would accept the higher costs.
The Düsseldorf-based arms manufacturer Rheinmetall is planning to set up a joint venture with the US company Lockheed Martin for the large-scale production of warheads and missiles, including armaments for the Patriot air defense system, in Europe. As Rheinmetall CEO Armin Papperger explained in a conference call with analysts last week, talks are currently underway to establish the joint venture, in which his company is aiming for a 60 percent stake.
The background to this is that the production capacities in the USA are not sufficient to cover demand in Europe, said Papperger. "Sometimes you have to wait ten years to get missiles from America, which is far too long." The two partners therefore wanted to establish a European "Center of Competence" for missiles.
For example, the ATACMS, GMLRS, Hellfire, JAGM and PAC-3 missiles could be produced jointly. ATACMS missiles have a range of around 300 kilometers, while GMLRS have a range of 150 kilometers, according to Papperger. The Hellfire and JAGM are air-to-ground weapons, while the PAC-3 is one of the two missiles used for the Patriot air defense system.
The Rheinmetall CEO announced his intention to build up a production capacity of up to 10,000 missiles and the same number of large and small rocket engines per year. The aim is to achieve comprehensive vertical integration.
The Rheinmetall boss estimates that the production line will be ready in 12 to 13 months. Final production will also take place there. Development work will be carried out together with Lockheed Martin, so that IPRs will also be located in Europe. However, the project requires the approval of the US government, which both partners are working on. Papperger expects that after the start of engine production next year and rocket production in 2027, the years 2028 and 2029 will be characterized by the ramp-up phase. After that, there is a sales potential of 5 billion euros if the joint venture's production is fully booked. Rheinmetall is endeavoring to supply as many components as possible to the joint venture.
Lockheed Martin is currently ending the production of ATACMS because the PrSM is being manufactured. It is therefore under discussion to process US contracts in the new factory and thus generate the first one to two billion euros in sales. The plan is to take over the assembly lines for ATACMS directly from the USA, explained Papperger. He predicted that the capacities for the new engine production should be utilized quickly, as Ukraine has a high demand for Patriot missiles.
The Rheinmetall boss put the current demand for missiles at 600 to 800 ATACMS per year, around 2,500 GMLRs, 5,000 Hellfires, 5,200 JAGMs and 250 to 300 PAC-3s.
According to him, the supply chains are currently being set up for production. The idea for this was developed by Lockheed Martin's CEO and himself during the Munich Security Conference. The idea was to give the manufacturers of electronic components a five-year contract and a large down payment.
According to Papperger, European customers have a preference for ATACMS with a range of up to 300 kilometers over the GMLRS with up to 150 kilometers. Long ranges are preferred. In Germany, 500 or 600 kilometers are also being discussed. Ranges that are currently only offered by the PrSM.
When asked about the possible establishment of a Missile Excellence Center, the US arms manufacturer Lockheed Martin stated that the company was working with its European allies to identify opportunities for cooperation in order to meet the global demand for US ammunition and precision strike capabilities.
They want to ensure that any potential collaboration strengthens U.S. manufacturing capabilities, creates jobs in the U.S. and Europe, and accelerates the delivery of these goods. "Any collaboration between our companies is subject to the approval of the U.S. and German governments," Lockheed Martin emphasized. As negotiations are still ongoing, all details communicated are premature and unofficial.
Lars Hoffmann
The US and Saudi Arabia just signed a $142B arms deal, the largest ever between the two countries. It includes fighter jets, missile defense systems, helicopters, and advanced tech, with major defense players like Lockheed Martin ($LMT (-0,42 %)), Raytheon, and Boeing ($BA (+0,59 %)
) likely to benefit.
💬 Curious to hear what the community thinks:
Let’s discuss! 👇
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