INDEX / DIRECTORY / LOCKHEED MARTIN

Lockheed Martin

Defense & Aerospace 81 CITED SOURCES UPDATED 2026-05-30
BDS-1000 Score 819 /1000 A Tier A - Extreme

BDS-1000 Dossier: Lockheed Martin Corporation

Key Findings

  • Military: Lockheed Martin supplies the F-35I Adir to the Israeli Air Force under the US Foreign Military Sales programme; these aircraft have been used in documented strikes on Gaza since October 2023.1234
  • Economic: Lockheed Martin and IAI hold a $4 billion contract (UICA programme) for F-35 composite-wing production in Israel, making Israel an active manufacturing node in Lockheed’s global supply chain.54
  • Political: Lockheed Martin lobbied in support of the Israel Security Supplemental appropriations; its CEO publicly described the October 2023 attacks as generating “significant replenishment demand” for its products.67
  • Digital: Lockheed Martin supplies C2 systems and ISR platforms integrated into Israeli military operations, establishing a documented surveillance and digital-nexus footprint.14

Target Profile

FieldDetail
Company NameLockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT)
JurisdictionUnited States (Delaware)
HeadquartersBethesda, Maryland, USA
SectorAerospace, Defense, Security Technology
OwnershipPublicly traded (Vanguard, BlackRock, State Street as largest institutional shareholders)
Key Executives / GovernanceJames Taiclet (CEO)
Israeli-Nexus SummaryPrimary FMS defense contractor supplying F-35I ‘Adir’, CH-53K, Hellfire, JDAM, and PAC-3 systems to Israel; operates Lockheed Martin Israel Ltd in Tel Aviv; IAI workshare partner on F-35 wing production

Executive Summary

Lockheed Martin Corporation stands as the single most significant foreign military supplier to the State of Israel among Western defense primes. The company’s documented involvement spans direct weapons transfers through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, deep supply chain integration with Israeli defense industries (Israel Aerospace Industries, Elbit Systems, Rafael), and sustained operational sustainment of Israeli Air Force platforms deployed in combat over Gaza and the occupied territories. The Military domain score of 9.50 reflects this comprehensive military supply relationship, which includes the F-35I ‘Adir’ program (48 delivered, 75 on order), CH-53K heavy-lift helicopters (12 on order), AGM-114 Hellfire missiles, JDAM guidance kits, and PAC-3 MSE interceptors 123.

The Economic score of 7.00 captures Lockheed Martin’s $4 billion cumulative investment in Israeli defense industries under the Umbrella Industrial Cooperation Agreement (UICA), extended through 2029, alongside IAI’s $2.5 billion F-35 wing production contract and Elbit’s $34 million F-35 external fuel tank contract 58. The Political score of 8.50 reflects the company’s $13-14 million annual federal lobbying expenditure, active engagement on Israel security supplemental appropriations, and CEO James Taiclet’s characterization of post-October 7 demand as a “replenishment demand” and revenue-positive development 7. The Digital score of 2.53 is lower, reflecting enterprise technology relationships (Cybereason investment, XTEND integration) that, while verified, are more limited in scope than the defense supply relationship 91011.

The company has not issued public statements addressing the International Court of Justice Advisory Opinion (July 2024) or the ICC arrest warrants for Israeli officials (November 2024), and did not respond to the UN Special Rapporteur’s communication calling on arms companies to cease transfers to Israel 38. The resulting BRS score of 819 places Lockheed Martin in Tier A (Extreme), driven by the maximum Military score and high scores across economic and political domains. No evidence supports claims of settlement construction involvement, civilian retail operations, or base services in occupied territories - these vectors are not applicable to a defense prime 312.


Timeline of Relevant Events

DateEventSource
2010Israel signs initial F-35 procurement agreementMilitary Audit 1
2014Lockheed Martin Israel Ltd registered in Tel AvivMilitary Audit 13
December 2016First two F-35I aircraft delivered to IsraelMilitary Audit 1
2018Israel becomes first nation to use F-35 in combatDigital Audit 14
April 2021DSCA notifies Congress of potential $3.4B CH-53K FMS saleMilitary Audit 1
July 2021CH-53K FMS sale notification (21-52)Military Audit 1
December 2021Israel signs CH-53K FMS agreementMilitary Audit 1
October 7, 2023Hamas attacks; U.S. accelerates munitions transfers to IsraelMilitary/Economic Audits 5
May 2024Biden administration pauses 1,800 JDAM bomb kitsMilitary Audit 15
July 2024ICJ Advisory Opinion finds Israel’s occupation unlawfulMilitary Audit 16
November 2024ICC issues arrest warrants for Netanyahu and GallantMilitary Audit 3
January 2025Trump administration reverses JDAM pauseMilitary Audit 17
February 2025$660M Hellfire FMS sale notified to CongressPolitical Audit 18
March 2025Sikorsky signs mission systems contract for 12 CH-53KMilitary Audit 119
April 2024Israel signs LOA for 25 additional F-35 aircraft ($3B)Military Audit 4
February 2026IAI delivers 350th F-35 wing to Lockheed MartinMilitary Audit 712
May 2026Israel approves fourth F-35 squadron (25 aircraft)Military Audit 1120

Corporate Overview

Lockheed Martin Corporation was formed in March 1995 through the merger of Lockheed Corporation (founded 1912) and Martin Marietta (founded 1961). The company operates as a publicly traded Delaware corporation (NYSE: LMT) with no government ownership stakes. Approximately 71-73% of net sales derive from the U.S. federal government, making the U.S. government Lockheed Martin’s single largest customer 21.

Israeli Subsidiary: Lockheed Martin Israel Ltd. is registered with the Israel Companies Registrar, operating from Berkovitch 4 (Museum Tower), Tel Aviv. The subsidiary functions as a business development, programme liaison, and government relations office, led by CEO Joshua (Shani) Shani. A demonstration center features F-35 and CH-53K simulators. No manufacturing facilities, data centers, or logistics hubs in Israel have been identified 1132220.

Key Israeli Defense Relationships:

Umbrella Industrial Cooperation Agreement (UICA): Extended through 2029; $4B invested since 2005; $470M invested 2020-2024; expected collaboration exceeds $6B 54


Domain Summaries

Military: Military

Mechanism of Involvement

Lockheed Martin’s military involvement with Israel operates exclusively through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) system, under which contractual privity exists between Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Department of Defense, with Israel as the designated end-user. This is the primary mechanism: all major platform transfers flow through government-to-government FMS channels, not direct commercial sales.

The F-35I ‘Adir’ programme represents the flagship element. Israel has taken delivery of 48 F-35I aircraft as of early 2026, with 50 on order and a fourth squadron approved (25 additional aircraft), projecting a fleet of approximately 100 aircraft. A $3 billion LOA for 25 additional aircraft was signed in April 2024, funded through U.S. Foreign Military Financing, with deliveries commencing in 2028 12341120.

The CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift helicopter programme constitutes a second major FMS transaction. The DSCA notified Congress in July 2021 of a potential $3.4 billion sale. Israel signed the FMS agreement on December 30, 2021. A mission systems contract was signed in March 2025 with Sikorsky to integrate Israeli mission systems into all 12 aircraft, with first delivery expected in 2028 119.

Additional systems include: JDAM guidance kits (large quantities supplied pre- and post-October 7, 2023; May 2024 pause on 1,800 × 2,000-lb bomb kits reversed January 2025); AGM-114 Hellfire missiles (extensively used by IAF AH-64 Apache helicopters and armed UAVs); PAC-3 MSE interceptors (supplied in 2024 to replenish stocks); and C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft 31517.

The THAAD deployment in October 2024 following Iranian ballistic missile attacks represents direct use of a Lockheed Martin-produced system on Israeli territory, though under U.S. operational control with U.S. military personnel 3.

Counter-Arguments and Evidence Limits

The strongest counter-arguments available to Lockheed Martin are structural: all weapons transfers flow through the U.S. FMS system, meaning the U.S. government - specifically the Department of State and Department of Defense - bears export licensing responsibility, not Lockheed Martin as a corporate entity. The company does not independently direct shipments; it fulfills U.S. government contract requirements. Additionally, Lockheed Martin is not a party to the ICJ Advisory Opinion or ICC proceedings, and no direct litigation against the company has been identified.

The company could argue that its platforms are used for legitimate self-defense, that Israel is a key F-35 program partner with unique integration rights, and that sustainment contracts cover operational bases within Israel proper (not occupied territories). The company has not been included in the UN OHCHR Settlement Business Enterprises Database, which covers civilian settlement activities rather than arms manufacturers 182212.

However, these arguments are substantially undermined by: the continued supply post-ICJ and post-ICC without due diligence statements; the CEO’s explicit framing of post-October 7 demand as revenue-positive; the company’s $13-14 million annual lobbying on defense appropriations including Israel security supplements; and the UN Special Rapporteur’s specific communication to Lockheed Martin 632387.

Named Entities and Evidence Map

EntityRelationshipEvidence
Israeli Air Force (IAF)End-user of F-35I, CH-53K, F-16, C-130J, Hellfire, JDAM, PAC-3DSCA notifications, operational deployment confirmed
U.S. Department of Defense / DSCAFMS contracting authorityAll major sales notified to Congress
Israel Ministry of DefenseFMS customer, ICA partnerLOAs, UICA agreements
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)Tier-1 supplier: F-35 wing production ($2.5B, 800+ wings)350th wing delivered Feb 2026
Elbit SystemsTier-1 supplier: avionics, EW, F-35 external fuel tanks ($34M)Contract documentation
Rafael Advanced Defense SystemsPartner: SPICE, HELWS/IRON BEAMPartnership announcements
Sikorsky (Lockheed Martin subsidiary)CH-53K manufacturer, mission systems integratorMarch 2025 contract

Digital: Digital

Mechanism of Involvement

Lockheed Martin’s digital and technology involvement with Israel is substantially narrower than its military supply relationship but includes verified enterprise technology deployments.

The company made a strategic investment in Cybereason, an Israeli cybersecurity firm, in May 2015, providing $25 million in Series B funding as part of a broader strategic partnership. Cybereason’s defense-grade endpoint detection platform was deployed across more than 120,000 endpoints within Lockheed Martin’s internal network infrastructure 910.

Lockheed Martin Skunk Works integrated XTEND’s XOS operating system into the MDCX (Multi-Class Drone Command) platform for multi-drone JADC2 (Joint All-Domain Command and Control) capabilities, with a public demonstration in November 2025 11.

The ODIN (Operational Data Integrated Network) system provides logistics and fleet management software to the IAF as part of the F-35 programme, handling maintenance scheduling, mission data, parts logistics, and prognostics. While ODIN incorporates machine learning algorithms for predictive maintenance, its application is logistics and operational readiness management, not targeting. Data flows through U.S.-based processing nodes, not Israeli infrastructure 6.

Lockheed Martin operates an innovation center in Tel Aviv established in 2019, focused on identifying Israeli defense-technology startups and dual-use technologies. The registered subsidiary Lockheed Martin Israel Ltd provides the corporate vehicle for this presence 813.

Counter-Arguments and Evidence Limits

Lockheed Martin could argue that its digital relationships are limited in scope: the Cybereason investment and deployment is enterprise cybersecurity (defensive), not surveillance or targeting technology; the XTEND integration is command-and-control for drone swarming, not autonomous lethal weapons; and ODIN is logistics software, not intelligence or targeting systems.

The company is not a cloud infrastructure provider and was not a bidder or awardee of Project Nimbus (Israel’s sovereign cloud programme). No evidence identifies Lockheed Martin deploying facial recognition, biometric identification, or predictive policing tools in Israel or occupied territories. No data centers or cloud operations in Israel have been identified 69.

However, the innovation center and subsidiary presence demonstrate ongoing engagement with the Israeli technology ecosystem, and the ODIN relationship - while logistics-focused - provides software services to the IAF as part of the F-35 ecosystem.

Named Entities and Evidence Map

EntityRelationshipEvidence
CybereasonStrategic investment ($25M Series B, 2015); enterprise deployment (120,000+ endpoints)Press releases, company documentation
XTENDXOS operating system integration for MDCX drone command platformNovember 2025 demonstration
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)F-35 wing production (workshare)350th wing delivered
Israeli Air Force (IAF)ODIN user for F-35 fleet managementSystem documentation
Lockheed Martin Israel LtdInnovation center, business developmentRegistration, Globes reports

Economic: Economic

Mechanism of Involvement

Lockheed Martin’s economic involvement with Israel operates through three primary vectors: direct investment and offset obligations under the UICA framework, supply chain subcontracting with Israeli defense firms, and the F-35 programme’s unique industrial cooperation arrangements.

The Umbrella Industrial Cooperation Agreement (UICA) with Israel’s Industrial Cooperation Authority has been extended through 2029. Lockheed Martin has invested over $4 billion in Israeli defense and aerospace industries since 2005, with $470 million invested during the 2020-2024 period. Expected collaboration exceeds $6 billion 54.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) serves as the most significant tier-1 supplier through the F-35 programme. IAI’s Lahav and Bedek Divisions produce composite wing sections and structural assemblies under a contract valued at approximately $2.5 billion over 15 years to manufacture over 800 wing pairs. IAI delivered its 350th F-35 wing to Lockheed Martin in February 2026, with a contract extending through 2034 for potentially 800+ wing sets with a potential value exceeding $2 billion 6712.

Elbit Systems holds a long-standing supplier relationship, providing avionics, helmet-mounted display systems, and electronic warfare components. A $34 million contract was awarded to Elbit for F-35I extended-range external fuel tanks, marking the first-ever F-35 external fuel tank integration 87.

The F-35I ‘Adir’ programme confers unique industrial benefits: Israel is the only F-35 operator permitted to integrate domestic weapons systems into the F-35 mission systems architecture, including Israeli-developed electronic warfare suites, missiles, and intelligence systems. An $11.4 million Lockheed Martin contract modification supports Israel-specific F-35 software development 242312.

Counter-Arguments and Evidence Limits

Lockheed Martin’s strongest economic counter-arguments include: the company does not manufacture in Israel or occupied territories; the Israeli subsidiary is a liaison office, not a production facility; no real estate holdings or manufacturing plants in the territories have been identified; and the company is not included in the UN OHCHR Settlement Business Enterprise Database, which covers civilian settlement activities 1412.

The company could argue that offset obligations are standard for foreign defense contractors and reflect industrial cooperation rather than economic complicity; that investment figures represent subcontracting value, not profit repatriation; and that Israel is not a standalone revenue segment in corporate filings.

However, the $4 billion cumulative investment, the $2.5 billion IAI wing contract, and the extension of the UICA through 2029 - well after the ICJ Advisory Opinion - demonstrate sustained economic engagement. The Norwegian Government Pension Fund Global has excluded Lockheed Martin from its portfolio due to cluster munitions production, and the company is named in the UN Special Rapporteur’s report on the “economy of genocide” (June 2025) and the Amnesty International September 2025 report 22410.

Named Entities and Evidence Map

EntityRelationshipEvidence
Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)Tier-1 supplier: F-35 wings ($2.5B, 800+ pairs)Contract documentation, delivery milestones
Elbit SystemsAvionics, EW, F-35 external fuel tanks ($34M)Contract documentation
Rafael Advanced Defense SystemsPartner on weapons systems integrationPartnership announcements
Israeli Ministry of Defense / ICAUICA framework partnerAgreement extensions
Lockheed Martin Israel LtdRegistered subsidiary, liaison officeCompany registration

Political: Political

Mechanism of Involvement

Lockheed Martin’s political involvement manifests through corporate communications, lobbying activity, executive engagement, and the company’s response (or non-response) to international legal developments.

Corporate Communications: Lockheed Martin has maintained a notably restrained public posture regarding the Israel-Gaza conflict since October 7, 2023. No dedicated public statement specifically addressing the conflict has been issued. CEO James Taiclet addressed post-October 7 procurement as “replenishment demand” and a positive revenue driver in Q4 2023 and Q1-Q2 2024 earnings calls, continuing to reference elevated “Middle East” demand as revenue-positive without humanitarian commentary 7.

Lobbying: Lockheed Martin is among the largest corporate lobbying spenders in the U.S. defense sector, spending approximately $13-14 million annually on federal lobbying in 2022-2024. The company lobbied on H.R.6126 (Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2024). Lobbying disclosure topics include defense appropriations, F-35 program funding, foreign military sales policy, and export controls 6.

Response to International Legal Developments: No public statement by Lockheed Martin acknowledging the ICJ Advisory Opinion (July 2024) or the ICC arrest warrants (November 2024) was identified. The company did not respond to the UN Special Rapporteur’s communication (AL OTH 78/2024, May 2024) calling on arms companies to cease transfers to Israel 38.

Executive Engagement: Joshua Shani, CEO of Lockheed Martin Israel, serves as keynote speaker at Friends of the IDF (FIDF) events. FIDF is an Israeli military-welfare organization 16.

Counter-Arguments and Evidence Limits

Lockheed Martin’s strongest political counter-arguments include: the company operates within the U.S. FMS system, meaning all foreign military sales require U.S. government authorization; no board member holds a leadership role in AIPAC, FIDF, JNF, or equivalent advocacy organizations per proxy statements; the company has not sponsored Israeli state-backed cultural diplomacy campaigns; and no executive personal donations to Israeli parastatal organizations have been identified in public records 11.

The company could argue that its lobbying activity is standard for defense contractors and focuses on policy rather than specific human rights positions; that CEO statements reflect standard earnings call discourse; and that the absence of public statements on ICJ/ICC proceedings reflects the company’s position that it is not a party to those proceedings.

However, the company did not respond to the UN Special Rapporteur’s communication; the CEO’s explicit framing of wartime demand as revenue-positive contrasts with statements following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (where the company issued statements referencing commitment to supporting U.S. allies); and the FIDF executive engagement demonstrates direct connection to Israeli military-welfare activities 32387.

Named Entities and Evidence Map

EntityRelationshipEvidence
U.S. CongressLobbying target on defense appropriations, Israel security supplementalLobbying disclosures
Friends of the IDF (FIDF)Executive keynote speaking engagementLi Herald report
UN Special RapporteurRecipient of non-response to AL OTH 78/2024OHCHR communication
Lockheed Martin Israel LtdPolitical liaison, business developmentRegistration

BDS-1000 Score (V4)

DomainIMPV-Domain Score
Military9.509.509.509.50
Digital5.505.004.502.53
Economic7.007.008.007.00
Political8.507.507.508.50

The Military score of 9.50 (maximum) reflects Lockheed Martin’s position as the primary U.S. FMS contractor supplying the Israeli Air Force with F-35I, CH-53K, Hellfire, JDAM, and PAC-3 systems - platforms documented in combat deployment over Gaza and the occupied territories. Combined with high Political (8.50) driven by $13-14M annual lobbying, executive characterization of wartime demand as revenue-positive, and non-response to UN communications, and Economic (7.00) reflecting $4B cumulative investment in Israeli defense industries, the resulting BRS of 819 places the company in Tier A (Extreme). The methodology uses scale-free Impact × Magnitude/Proximity, evidence-only sourcing from the four domain audits, with human-vetted scores.


Methodology Note


End Notes

Footnotes

  1. https://www.lockheedmartin.com/en-il/who-we-are.html 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

  2. https://www.nbim.no/en/responsible-investment/ethical-exclusions/exclusion-of-companies/ 2 3 4

  3. https://spcommreports.ohchr.org/TMResultsBase/DownLoadPublicCommunicationFile?gId=29079 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12

  4. https://mod.gov.il/en/press-releases/press-room/the-israeli-ministry-of-defense-has-signed-an-agreement-with-the-us-government-for-the-third-squadron-of-the-adir-f-35-aircraft 2 3 4 5 6 7

  5. https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-879041 2 3 4 5

  6. https://www.opensecrets.org/orgs/lockheed-martin/lobbying?id=d000000104 2 3 4 5 6 7

  7. https://caat.org.uk/news/lockheed-martin-ceo-confirms-data-from-israels-use-of-f-35-jets-worth-billions-to-the-company 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

  8. https://www.business-humanrights.org/en/latest-news/lockheed-martin-did-not-respond-to-urgent-call-by-un-experts-to-cease-the-transfer-of-arms-to-israel 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

  9. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cybereason-closes-25-million-series-b-funding-round-enters-strategic-partnership-with-lockheed-martin-300078253.html 2 3

  10. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2025/09/global-political-economy-enabling-israels-genocide-occupation-apartheid 2 3

  11. https://www.autonomyglobal.co/lockheed-martin-skunk-works-and-israels-xtend-unveil-multi-drone-jadc2-breakthrough 2 3 4 5

  12. https://www.jpost.com/defense-and-tech/article-886139 2 3 4 5 6 7

  13. https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-lockheed-martin-establishes-innovation-center-in-israel-1001291234 2 3

  14. https://www.ohchr.org/en/business/bhr-database 2

  15. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/10/israel-opt-us-made-weapons-used-in-unlawful-attacks-in-gaza/ 2

  16. https://www.liherald.com/stories/fidf-to-honor-four-lawrence-residents,102825 2

  17. https://www.hrw.org/news/2024/04/18/us-weapons-used-unlawful-attacks-gaza 2

  18. https://www.dsca.mil/Press-Media/Major-Arms-Sales/Article-Display/Article/4060949/israel-agm-114-hellfire-missiles 2

  19. https://mod.gov.il/en/press-releases/press-room/israel-mod-signs-hundreds-of-millions-of-dollars-deal-with-lockheed-martin-sikorsky-for-integration-of-israeli-systems-on-ch-53k-pere-helicopters 2

  20. https://www.reuters.com/business/aerospace-defense/israel-approves-plan-buy-f-35-f-15i-aircraft-us-2026-05-03 2 3

  21. https://www.sec.gov/cgi-bin/browse-edgar?action=getcompany&CIK=0000936468&type=10-K&dateb=&owner=include&count=10

  22. https://en.checkid.co.il/company/LOCKHEED+MARTIN+ISRAEL+LTD-LOx8X6m-515125763 2

  23. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-09-11/lockheed-martin-ceo-heckled-by-protesters-at-boston-college 2 3

  24. https://www.un.org/unispal/document/a-hrc-59-23-from-economy-of-occupation-to-economy-of-genocide-report-special-rapporteur-francesca-albanese-palestine-2025 2