1. Northrop Grumman.
Contributions: $1,439,162.
Based in Virginia, Northrop Grumman makes all kinds of manned and unmanned combat aircraft, among many other things, and is developing the B-21 Raider for the US Air Force.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 54.2% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 cycle, its largest recipients were both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as well as Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry and Democratic Rep. Adam Smith.
2. Lockheed Martin.
Contributions: $1,342,248.
In 2016, Maryland-based Lockheed Martin received $43.4 billion in federal contracts, the most of any US defense contractor. It manufactures all kinds of combat aircraft, naval systems, missiles, unmanned systems, and more. It was also recently contracted to develop a laser for US fighter jets.
In the 2018 election cycle thus far, 66.1% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 election cycle, it donated to presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, Ben Carson, Jeb Bush, Jill Stein, Carly Fiorina, Gary Johnson, Mike Huckabee, John Kasich, and Lawrence Lessig.
3. Boeing Co.
Contributions: $1,159,645.
Based in Chicago, Boeing designs all kinds of private and military aircraft, including the F/A-18 Hornet seen above.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 62.4% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 cycle, it donated heavily to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as well as Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders and Republican Sen. Ted Cruz.
4. General Dynamics.
Contributions: $821,144.
Virginia-based General Dynamics makes a variety of combat aircraft, land vehicles, and ships, including the Littoral Combat Ship seen above.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 59.8% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 cycle, it donated to both Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump.
5. Raytheon Co.
Contributions: $795,512.
Based in New Jersey, Raytheon Co. makes everything from command-and-control systems to missile-defense systems and precision weapons, like the TOW missile system seen above.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 61.2% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 cycle, its largest recipients were Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump as well as Republican Sens. John McCain and Ted Cruz.
6. Harris Corp.
Contributions: $460,775.
Harris Corp. is based in Florida and provides a lot of tactical communications, avionics, and electronic warfare, among other things, including the Falcon radios seen above.
Thus far, 50.4% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of its largest recipients have been Republican Reps. Jim Banks, Liz Cheney, and Mario Balart-Diaz.
7. United Technologies.
Contributions: $427,646.
Based in Connecticut, United Technologies owns Pratt & Whitney, which makes a lot of combat-aircraft engines, including the propulsion system for the F-35 Lightning II.
Thus far, 50.3% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of its largest recipients have been Sen. Christopher Murphy and Rep. Elizabeth Etsy, both Democrats from Connecticut, and Republican Sen. Jeff Flake.
8. Orbital ATK.
Contributions: $401,874.
Orbital ATK is based in Virginia and designs and builds all sorts of air, land, and sea weapons, including the Javelin antitank missile system.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 63.5% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 cycle, it donated to Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump, as well Ben Carson, John Kasich, and Gary Johnson. They also made large donations to Republican Reps. Mac Thornberry and Lamar Smith.
9. BAE Systems.
Contributions: $391,503.
BAE Systems is a British company that designs and manufactures combat ships and aircraft, among other things, and even designed a railgun prototype for the US Navy.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 60.8% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 election cycle, its largest recipients were Republican Sen. John McCain, Hillary Clinton, and Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky.
10. Huntington Ingalls Industries.
Contributions: $389,035.
Virginia-based Huntington Ingalls Industries designs and builds Arleigh Burke-class destroyers and touts itself as America's largest shipbuilding company.
Thus far in the 2018 election cycle, 57.9% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 cycle, Huntington Ingalls donated $14,129 to Hillary Clinton and $1,476 to Donald Trump. Other large 2016 recipients were Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Republican Reps. Rob Wittman, Randy Forbes, and Mac Thornberry.
11. Honeywell International.
Contributions: $283,759.
Based in New Jersey, Honeywell International invents and manufactures a lot of technology, including the T-55 turboshaft engine for the CH-47 Chinook helicopter.
So far in the 2018 election cycle, 52.7% of its contributions have gone to Republicans.
In the 2016 election cycle, Honewell International gave $38,104 to Hillary Clinton and $12,624 to Donald Trump. Other major 2016 recipients were Republican Sens. Ted Cruz and Ron Johnson and even Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders.
12. Leidos Inc.
Contributions: $273,192.
Leidos Inc. is a Virginia-based technology company that, among other things, provides command-and-control software and planning systems for the military and intelligence community.
Thus far, 63.6% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of the largest recipients have been Republican Reps. Mac Thornberry and Rodney Frelinghuysen.
13. L3 Technologies.
Contributions: $271,884.
Based in New York, L3 Technologies provides communication and electronic systems for the military and recently received a contract to support the US Army’s Apache Manned/Unmanned Teaming — eXpanded Capabilities (MUMT-X) helicopter program.
Thus far, 66.4.% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of the largest recipients have been Republican Reps. Ken Calvert and John Lee Ratcliffe and Democratic Sen. Pete Visclosky.
14. SAIC.
Contributions: $255,303.
SAIC is another Virginia-based technology company that was contracted last year to help plan and operate the Defense Department's information networks, and, at times, conduct military cyberspace operations.
Thus far, 64.8% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of the largest recipients have been Republican Rep. Mac Thornberry, who is the chairman of the House Armed Services Committee, and Republican Rep. Robert Aderholt.
Other major recipients include Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky as well as Rep. Gerry Connolly and Sen. Tim Kaine, both Virginia Democrats.
15. General Electric.
Contributions: $183,000.
General Electric is a huge US conglomerate that makes everything from toasters to oil and gas to the X-47B unmanned aerial vehicle seen above. It also owns a 49% interest in NBCUniversal.
It has thus far donated 51.4% of its cash to Democrats, making it one of only two defense companies out of the top 20 that have given more to Democrats than Republicans.
In the 2016 presidential election, General Electric gave Hillary Clinton $241,648 — but it also gave Donald Trump $30,291.
16. Sierra Nevada Corp.
Contributions: $123,600.
Based in Nevada, Sierra Nevada Corp. is another technology company, and it provides the integrated airborne systems for the C-130.
Thus far, 85% of its contributions have gone to Republicans. Some of the largest recipients have been Republican Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen and Dutch Ruppersberger.
17. Leonardo DRS.
Contributions: $106,475.
Based in Virginia, Leonardo DRS is a technology company that makes the T-100 Integrated Training System for the US Air Force's T-X program.
Thus far, 64.6% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of the largest recipients have been Republican Reps. Rodney Frelinghuysen and Duncan Hunter.
18. Cubic Corp.
Contributions: $82,732.
California-based Cubic Corp. provides a lot of information technology to the US military, including the Cubic P5 Combat Training System for the F-35 fighter jet.
Thus far, 80% of its contributions have gone to Republicans, and some of its largest recipients have been Republican Reps. Duncan Hunter and Ken Calvert, both of California.
19. Cobham Management Services.
Contributions: $78,500.
Cobham Management Services is a British company that manufactures a variety of technology for the military and even the refueling system for the KC-46.
Just over 63% of it contributions thus far have gone to Republicans, and some of the largest recipients are Republican Reps. John Carter, Charlie Dent, and Duncan Hunter and Democratic Rep. Pete Visclosky.
20. DynCorp International.
Contributions: $71,560.
DynCorp International is a Virginia-based company that provides all kinds of training, intelligence, and aviation services for the military, including maintenance for the AH-64 Apache program.
Thus far in the election cycle, 52.1% of DynCorp's contributions have gone to Democrats, and some of the largest recipients in Congress have been Democratic Rep. Anthony Brown and Democratic Sen. Martin Heinrich.
Dyncorp has also been accused of bilking the federal government out of millions of dollars between 2004 and 2008 for their work in the Iraq War.
Dyncorp didn't donate any money to candidates in the election cycles immediately before and after the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. Its first contributions came in the 2006 election cycle and increased in 2008.
