Rising geopolitical risks around critical energy routes, including fresh concerns over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, are pulling global defense spending sharply back into focus.
When governments reassess supply line security, defense and aerospace companies tied to aircraft engines, satellites, and military technology tend to attract renewed investor attention.
Three companies from the U.S. Aerospace and Defense universe stand out as particularly relevant given current conditions: Redwire (NYSE: RDW), GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE), and RTX (NYSE: RTX).
Redwire, with a market cap of approximately $2.9 billion, operates at the intersection of space infrastructure and defense technology, generating revenue from both Space and Defense Tech segments.
The company produces roughly $208.9 million from its Space segment and $217.4 million from Defense Tech, with approximately $245.5 million of that revenue sourced from U.S. customers.
Management has pointed to recent execution gains, stating that “the combination with Edge Autonomy and the shift to a scalable space and defense platform is already reflected in year-over-year revenue of $103.4 million in Q3 2025 and adjusted gross margin of 27.1%.”
GE Aerospace (NYSE: GE), the largest of the three by market capitalization at approximately $339.4 billion, designs and services commercial and military aircraft engines, propulsion systems, avionics, and related spare parts worldwide.
The company generates approximately $37.7 billion from Commercial Engines and Services, $11.5 billion from Defense and Propulsion Technologies, and $1.4 billion from Corporate and other operations.
GE Aerospace’s forward visibility has been bolstered by what the company describes as “acceleration of next generation engine programs such as adaptive cycle engines and CCA propulsion, supported by rising defense book to bill of 1.7x and a Defense and Propulsion Technologies backlog above $30 billion.”
That backlog provides what analysts describe as multi-year visibility on future defense revenue, though the key variable remains how shifts in the aftermarket mix eventually flow through to cash generation and margins.
RTX (NYSE: RTX), with a market cap of approximately $255.3 billion, rounds out the group as one of the most diversified defense and aerospace suppliers, generating approximately $35 billion from Pratt and Whitney, $31.2 billion from Collins Aerospace, and $29.9 billion from Raytheon.
RTX’s Pratt and Whitney and Collins Aerospace businesses are directly tied to long-life service contracts that keep commercial and military fleets operational across multiple global markets.
The company currently holds a record backlog of $289 billion, underscored by a Raytheon rolling 12-month book-to-bill of 1.77 and $19.9 billion of quarterly awards for systems including Patriot, AMRAAM, AIM-9X, and LTAMDS.
RTX management has noted that these figures “point to multi-year conversion of contracted demand into revenue and segment operating profit that some investors may not yet fully reflect in valuations.”
Across all three companies, the common thread is substantial, long-dated order backlogs that provide revenue visibility well beyond the current fiscal year in an environment where defense budgets are under upward pressure globally.
The broader Aerospace and Defense screener from which these three names were drawn surfaced 73 additional companies with narratives that analysts say are equally compelling but received less attention in this review.
Investors conducting independent research are encouraged to evaluate each company’s aftermarket mix, contract structure, and cost base before drawing conclusions about relative value or near-term performance.
Defense sector dynamics can shift quickly depending on government budget cycles, geopolitical developments, and procurement timelines, making ongoing monitoring of backlog conversion rates a key analytical priority.
As capital continues to rotate toward sectors with clear government backing and multi-year revenue visibility, Redwire, GE Aerospace, and RTX each present distinct risk and return profiles worth examining in depth.
