5.1.9.1Vertical

Guided Munitions & Smart Weapons

Manufacturers of precision-guided munitions and smart weapon systems.

Market snapshot

These figures describe Missiles, Munitions & Ordnance (5.1.9), the segment that Guided Munitions & Smart Weapons sits within — not Guided Munitions & Smart Weapons on its own.

Market size
~$60B
Growth
~7.6%CAGR (2017–22, nominal)
Companies
~970
FragmentationConsolidatedEstimate

U.S. Census Bureau 2022 CBP/Economic Census, NAICS 336414/336415/336419 (missiles) + 332992/332993/332994 (ammunition/ordnance) + 325920 (explosives).

Business model & economics

Revenue model

Defense procurement contracts for missiles and munitions

Key economics

Recurring revenue
High

multi-year procurement programs

EBITDA margin
Program-margin-driven
Capex intensity
High

Characteristics

  • Among the fastest-growing defense segments.
  • Ukraine support and stockpile replenishment drive demand.
  • Multi-year capacity expansion the defining theme.

Geographic concentration

AlabamaAlaskaArizonaGeorgiaIndianaKansasMaineMassachusettsMinnesotaNew JerseyNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOklahomaPennsylvaniaSouth DakotaTexasWyomingConnecticutMissouriWest VirginiaIllinoisNew MexicoArkansasDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaHawaiiIowaKentuckyMarylandMichiganMississippiMontanaNew HampshireNew YorkOhioOregonTennesseeUtahVirginiaWisconsinNebraskaSouth CarolinaIdahoNevadaVermontLouisianaRhode IslandColoradoFloridaCaliforniaWashington

Missiles, munitions, and ordnance concentrate in the defense-aerospace centers — Colorado, California, Washington, and Florida — anchored by the major missile and space-defense programs.

ColoradoCaliforniaWashingtonFlorida

U.S. Census Bureau — 2022 County Business Patterns (employment by state), NAICS 336414/336415/336419. Concentration shown by location quotient.

M&A deal context

Deal activityHigh

Who’s acquiring

  • Defense primes
  • Munitions & ammunition specialists
  • PE-backed defense suppliers

What’s driving deals

  • Munitions-replenishment budget surge.
  • Capacity-expansion investment.
  • Consolidation around primes and specialists.

Find Guided Munitions & Smart Weapons acquisition targets

Search Acquisera’s index for companies classified under Guided Munitions & Smart Weapons (5.1.9.1) and build a targeted deal pipeline.

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