In the ever-evolving landscape of aviation, it’s essential to keep abreast of the industry’s key players.
As we approach the end of 2023, we present a comprehensive list of the current Top 10 largest aircraft manufacturers in the world, predominantly from the civilian sector, plus a few in the military world. The ranking, from 10th to first place, is based on Statista’s data relating to the leading aerospace and defense manufacturers worldwide in 2022, with the criterion being revenue, measured in billions of US dollars.
We’ll start from the 10th largest manufacturer and work our way up to the top spot.
10. Daher – 1.3
- Country: France
- Founded: 1863
- Headquarters: Marseille, France
- Employees: More than 10,500
- Industry: Daher has a long history, initially as a manufacturer of railway equipment and later diversifying into aerospace and defense. They are known for producing a range of general aviation and business aircraft.
- Known brands: Daher TBM and Kodiak
- Aircraft: TBM series of turboprop aircraft, with over 1,000 units delivered.
9. Embraer – 4.5
- Country: Brazil
- Founded: 1969
- Headquarters: São José dos Campos, Brazil
- Employees: Around 18,000
- Industry: Embraer is a renowned aerospace company, primarily known for manufacturing regional and executive jets.
- Known subsidiaries: Neiva, Eve Air Mobility, OGMA
- Aircraft: A range of commercial and executive jets, including the E-Jet series, Legacy and the Phenom series. More than 8,000 aircraft have been delivered as of time of writing.
8. Dassault Aviation – 5.969
- Country: France
- Founded: 1929
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Employees: Over 12,500
- Industry: Dassault is a prominent French aircraft manufacturer known for producing military and business jets.
- Aircraft: Various models of the Falcon business jet series and the Rafale fighter aircraft. Over 10,000 aircraft units have been delivered by the company.
7. Bombardier – 6.9
- Country: Canada
- Founded: 1942
- Headquarters: Montreal, Canada
- Employees: Over 15,500
- Industry: Bombardier has a diverse history, starting out with the production of snowmobiles and expanding into various industries, including aerospace, and manufacturing business jets.
- Known divisions: Bombardier Aviation
- Aircraft: The Challenger, and Global series business jets.
6. Textron Aviation – 12.869
- Country: United States
- Founded: 2014
- Headquarters: Wichita, Kansas
- Employees: Around 12,000
- Industry: Textron Aviation is an American general aviation and business aircraft manufacturer.
- Known brands: Beechcraft, Cessna, and Hawker.
- Aircraft: A range of aircraft, including the Cessna Citation business jets and Beechcraft King Air turboprops.
5. Northrop Grumman – 36.6
- Country: United States
- Founded: 1939
- Headquarters: West Falls Church, Virginia
- Employees: Around 95,000
- Industry: Northrop Grumman is a major American aerospace and defense technology company with a storied history in military aviation and aerospace systems.
- Known divisions: Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems.
- Aircraft: Military aircraft and systems, including the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and the Global Hawk unmanned aircraft.
4. General Dynamics – 39.41
- Country: United States
- Founded: 1952
- Headquarters: Reston, Virginia
- Employees: Over 106,000
- Industry: General Dynamics is a prominent American aerospace and defense corporation with a diverse portfolio, including military aircraft and combat systems.
- Known subsidiaries: Gulfstream Aerospace.
- Aircraft: Military jets such as F-16, and F-111, business jets such as Gulfstream G series.
3. Airbus – 61.79
- Country: Netherlands (corporate), France, Germany, Spain, the United Kingdom, and China (operational)
- Founded: 1970
- Headquarters: Netherlands, Leiden
- Employees: Over 134,000
- Industry: Airbus is one of the world’s largest commercial aircraft manufacturers, known for its iconic airliners that have revolutionized air travel.
- Known subsidiaries: Airbus Corporate Jets, ATR (a joint venture between Airbus and Leonardo).
- Aircraft: A wide range of commercial aircraft, including the A320, A330, A350, and A380 families, as well as military and transport aircraft. Since it commenced operations,
.Airbus has produced over 13,500 commercial aircraft.
2. Lockheed Martin – 65.98
- Country: United States
- Founded: 1995
- Headquarters: Bethesda, Maryland
- Employees: Around 116,000
- Industry: Lockheed Martin is a global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technologies company known for its cutting-edge military aircraft.
- Known subsidiaries: Sikorsky Aircraft (helicopters).
- Aircraft: A variety of military aircraft, including the F-35 Lightning II, F-22 Raptor, and C-130 Hercules.
1. Boeing – 66.61
- Country: United States
- Founded: 1916
- Headquarters: Arlington, Virginia
- Employees: More than 140,000
- Industry: Boeing is an American aerospace company that has made a profound impact on commercial and military aviation worldwide.
- Known divisions: Boeing Commercial Airplanes, Boeing Defense, Space & Security.
- Aircraft: Commercial airliners such as the Boeing 737, 747, 777 and 787, as well as military aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet and the KC-46 Pegasus tanker.
To sum up: Top 10 largest aircraft manufacturers in the world in 2023
| Rank | Company | Revenue (in billion USD) | Employees (approximately) |
| 10 | Daher | 1.3 | 10,500 |
| 9 | Embraer | 4.5 | 18,000 |
| 8 | Dassault | 5.969 | 12,500 |
| 7 | Bombardier | 6.9 | 15,500 |
| 6 | Textron Aviation | 12.869 | 12,000 |
| 5 | Northrop Grumman | 36.6 | 95,000 |
| 4 | General Dynamics | 39.41 | 106,000 |
| 3 | Airbus | 61.79 | 134,000 |
| 2 | Lockheed Martin | 65.98 | 116,000 |
| 1 | Boeing | 66.61 | 140,000 |
