# Can you give me a list of major European Defense Companies? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Tags:** trump\ **Created:** [April 21, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284 "2025-04-21T01:51:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/1 "2025-04-21T01:51:54Z")
I would like to know which firms the EU will turn to, now that Trump has caused the EU to mistrust the US. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/2 "2025-04-21T02:31:16Z")
The big one I know is [Dassault](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dassault_Aviation). ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/3 "2025-04-21T02:54:11Z")
EUAD purports to be a fund compatible with thread title. [Here is a list of their holdings.](https://finance.yahoo.com/quote/EUAD/holdings/) ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/4 "2025-04-21T02:54:42Z")
In addition, Airbus, BAE Systems (UK), ThyssenKrupp (Germany), Rhinemetall (Germany), Thales (France), and Leonardo (Italy), among others, all apparently are major defense contractors. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/5 "2025-04-21T02:55:27Z")
Saab is rather famous for being a major defense contractor. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/6 "2025-04-21T08:51:08Z")
Here’s a list of the top 100 defense companies in 2024: > **[Top 100 | Defense News, News about defense programs, business, and technology](https://people.defensenews.com/top-100/)** As you can see, options in the top 30 (excluding the U.S. and China) include BAE Systems, Airbus, Leonardo, Thales, Rheinmetall AG, Rolls-Royce, Naval Group, Saab AB and Safran from Europe, as well as Hanwha from South Korea, and Elbit Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. from Israel. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 9:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/7 "2025-04-21T09:04:57Z")
Like the others said: - **BAE Systems** (UK) - **Airbus Defence and Space** (Trans-European) - **Leonardo S.p.A.** (Italy) - **Thales Group** (France) - **Rheinmetall AG** (Germany) - **Dassault Aviation** (France) - **Safran** (France) - **Rolls-Royce Holdings** (UK) - **MBDA** (Trans-European: UK, France, Italy) - **Saab AB** (Sweden) - **Kongsberg Gruppen** (Norway) - **Naval Group** (France) - **Fincantieri** (Italy) - **KNDS (Krauss-Maffei Wegmann + Nexter)** (Germany/France) - **Indra Sistemas** (Spain) - **QinetiQ Group** (UK) - **Babcock International Group** (UK) - **Diehl Defence** (Germany) - **Chemring Group** (UK) - **Czechoslovak Group (CSG)** (Czech Republic) - **RUAG** (Switzerland) - **Patria** (Finland) - **Nammo** (Norway) - **Avio S.p.A.** (Italy) - **Hensoldt** (Germany) - **Elbit Systems Deutschland** (Germany) - **Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ)** (Poland) - **Roketsan** (Turkey) - **Aselsan** (Turkey) - **Meteksan Defence** (Turkey) - **FN Herstal** (Belgium) - **Rheinmetall BAE Systems Land (RBSL)** (UK/Germany) - **MBDA Deutschland** (Germany) - **Thales Alenia Space** (France/Italy) ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/8 "2025-04-21T11:50:19Z")
How would you classify Raytheon UK? They’re a subsidary of the US parent, but fairly independent I believe. (I walk past one of their test sites a few times a week. Always fun to see the radar antenna turning.) ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 21, 2025, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/9 "2025-04-21T12:21:48Z")
American. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 22, 2025, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/10 "2025-04-22T17:40:08Z")
Your information was especially helpful. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [April 23, 2025, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/11 "2025-04-23T17:45:12Z")
If you’re using this information for investment ideas, I would suggest doing so through a mutual fund or ETF that specifically targets that sector, rather than picking individual companies. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/12 "2025-04-24T14:47:34Z")
Done. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [April 24, 2025, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/can-you-give-me-a-list-of-major-european-defense-companies/1017284/13 "2025-04-24T15:17:31Z")
Eh, the listed ETF has pretty high fees. Be wary of that. Unsure if other foreign defense ETFs would have better fees.