Modernisation can be misleading, especially when it comes to nuclear weapons. Modernizing nuclear weapons is more about maintaining or expanding the ability to murder civilians using an indiscriminate weapon outlawed by international treaty.
Every one of the nine nuclear armed countries is spending significant resources investing in new, more usable, and more destabilizing nuclear weapons. In some of these countries, this work is done by private companies. This section profiles the companies involved in producing key components for the nuclear arsenals of France, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. In other nuclear-armed countries – China, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea), Israel, Pakistan and the Russian Federation, – the maintenance and modernisation of nuclear forces is carried out primarily or exclusively by government agencies.
The resulting list of companies compiled in this report is not exhaustive. It is an attempt to identify the privately owned companies that are most heavily involved in the nuclear weapon industrial complex. There are numerous other companies involved on a different scale or more indirectly. For example, companies involved in the production of small parts used in the assembly or maintenance of nuclear devices. In that sense, it is important to note that the total nuclear weapons industry may be much larger.
The companies described here are based in France, India, Italy, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Who produces which arsenal?
When financial institutions invest in companies involved in nuclear weapons, they provide the financing to maintain, refurbish, test, and modernise nuclear weapons. All of the nuclear armed countries are modernising their arsenals, but only some of the work is done by companies that are not state controlled.
This overview shows some of the companies involved in the production of nuclear weapons key components for the arsenals in France, India, the United Kingdom and the United States. This is not an exhaustive list, but meant to be illustrative of the broad range of actors involved in the ongoing production, maintenance and modernisation of nuclear weapons.
To our knowledge, the arsenals of China, DPRK, Israel, Pakistan and Russia are not outsourced to private companies.
Don’t Bank on the bomb identifies the following companies as producers of key components for the French nuclear weapons arsenal:
- Airbus Group (the Netherlands),
- BAE Systems (United Kingdom),
- Leonardo (Italy),
- Safran (France), and
- Thales (France).
Don’t Bank on the bomb identifies the following companies as producers of key components for the Indian nuclear weapons arsenal:
- Larsen & Toubro (India)
- Don’t Bank on the bomb identifies the following companies as producers of key components for the UK nuclear weapons arsenal:
- Aerojet Rocketdyne (United States),
- BAE Systems (United Kingdom),
- Boeing (United States),
- General Dynamics (United States),
- Honeywell International (United States),
- Jacobs Engineering (United States),
- Lockheed Martin (United States),
- Moog (United States),
- Northrop Grumman (United States) (which has acquired Orbital ATK) and
- Serco (United Kingdom)
Don’t Bank on the bomb identifies the following companies as producers of key components for the US nuclear weapons arsenal:
- Aecom (United States),
- Aerojet Rocketdyne (United States),
- BWX Technologies (United States),
- BAE Systems (United Kingdom),
- Bechtel (United States),
- Boeing (United States),
- Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (United States),
- Engility (formerly TASC, United States),
- Leonardo (Italy),
- Fluor (United States),
- General Dynamics (United States),
- Honeywell International (United States),
- Huntington Ingalls Industries (United States),
- Lockheed Martin (United States),
- Moog (United States),
- Northrop Grumman (United States) (which has acquired Orbital ATK (United States)),
- Raytheon (United States), and
- Textron (United States).
Featured producing companies
- Aecom is the main contractor for US nuclear weapons laboratories where modernisation and development of new nuclear weapons takes place.
- Aerojet Rocketdyne, produces propulsion systems and other key components for US & UK Trident II (D5) missiles & US Minuteman III ICBMs
- Airbus Group, produces key components for both submarine and air launched French nuclear missiles, both submarine and air launched.
- BAE Systems provides logistics, systems, and readiness support for the US and UK Navy Trident and US Air Force Minuteman missiles programmes.
- Bechtel, key contractor at US nuclear weapons laboratories.
- Boeing, produces key components for US & UK Trident II (D5) missiles & US Minuteman III ICBMs
- BWX Technologies, a key contractor at US nuclear weapons laboratories.
- CH2M Hill is a key contractor at US nuclear weapons laboratories it’s been recently bought by Jacobs Engineering.
- Fluor is the lead contractor for US nuclear weapon facility responsible for Tritium production
- General Dynamics produces key components for US & UK Trident II (D5) missiles
- Honeywell International manages and operates the facility where an estimated 85% of the non-nuclear components for US nuclear weapons are produced.
- Huntington Ingalls Industries is an additional contractor for US nuclear weapon facility responsible for Tritium production
- Jacobs Engineering manages the main UK nuclear weapons laboratory
- Larsen & Toubro developed launch system for Indian nuclear missiles
- Lockheed Martin is involved in Trident II (D5) missile upgrades (for US & UK), Minuteman III missiles (US), managing UK nuclear weapons laboratory, and several US nuclear weapons facilities.
- Northrop Grumman is involved in Trident II (D5) missile upgrades (for US & UK), Minuteman III missiles (US), and involved in managing some US nuclear weapons facilities, it has also acquired Orbital ATK which has similar involvements.
- Safran is involved in the M51 missiles for French arsenal
- Serco is involved in managing UK nuclear weapons laboratory
- Thales is involved in M51 missiles for French arsenal.
Other companies
In conducting the research for the top nuclear weapon producers, we generally examine up to 150 companies that may have some association with nuclear weapon production. Some financial institutions may also choose to divest from these companies. The information presented here is meant to inform additional discussions for those choosing the scope of their nuclear weapon policies.
Atlantic CommTech Corp. (ACT-Corp) is updating the nuclear weapon storage facilities at the bases hosting B61s in Europe.
Babcock International is engaged in producing key components for the next generation of nuclear armed submarines for the United Kingdom. The Don’t Bank on the Bomb methodology does not include delivery vehicle producers, but some financial institutions choose to exclude any investments in this company.
Battelle is a US 501(c)3 charitable trust. It is involved in the site maintenance at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory . However, it is a not-for-profit corporation. Under examination of the tax records filed (form 990) , the company reported income solely from government grants. They are likely involved in production activities, however, they appear to have no external or private financing.
Bharat Dynamics limited is linked to the production of the Indian nuclear armed Agni-II missile.
Charles Stark Draper Laboratory (“Draper”) is the prime contractor for the Trident Life Extension (LE) boost guidance and is manufacturing the guidance system for the Trident missile system in use by the UK and the US. More detail can be found here.
Engility Holdings is involved in the research and development for the Minuteman III system for the US arsenal. More detail can be found here.
Leonardo (Italy) (formerly Finmeccanica) is involved in the production of medium-range air-to-surface missiles for the French. More detail can be found here.
Moog develops launch vehicle and strategic missile controls for the Minuteman III (US) and Trident (D5) (US & UK) missiles. More information can be found here.
Raytheon (United States) is involved in the Minuteman III missile system for the US nuclear arsenal. It is also producing key components for the new US Long Range Standoff weapon. More information can be found here.
Textron (United States) designs and builds re-entry vehicles for the US Minuteman III inter-continental ballistic missiles (ICBM). Find more information here.
Walchandnagar Industries Limited (India) supplies infrastructure and facilities for the production of the surface-to-air short-range Akash missile and the launching systems for Agni and Akash missiles for the Indian arsenal. It also manufactures the main thrust motor casing segment for the intercontinental ballistic Agni-V missile. Find more information here.
Changes from previous reports
The first report was launched in 2012 and included 20 nuclear weapons producers. That number was expanded to 27 in 2013, 28 in 2014 and due to contract terminations the 2015 report included 26 companies, whereas the 2016 update includes 27 companies. In order to be able to offer comprehensive comparisons and trend data, the published version of the 2018 report includes 20 companies, whereas information is available on the website on additional companies involved in nuclear weapon production.