According to the Pentagon’s tally of the top dollar defense contractors for Fiscal 2005, Lockheed Martin led the way, followed by Boeing, Northrop Grumman, General Dynamics, and Raytheon as the top five. The news is that BAE Systems, the British-based defense firm, has made the top 10 list for the first time. In fact, it came in a No. 7. It was ranked at the 12 spot in 2004. For the Air Force, the top five were Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and United Technologies. BAE was No. 14.
A-10 Thunderbolt II attack planes in the Middle East are flying with fresh modifications as the Air Force looks to make the plane more versatile amid America’s ongoing blockade of Iranian ports and a tenuous ceasefire in the U.S. air war against Iran.