Palantir Technologies Inc.Maven AI designated a formal Pentagon program of record, ensuring long-term budget allocation, and holds a $10B Army enterprise agreement.
Rocket Lab, RTX, and Palantir are being highlighted as the best publicly traded alternatives for investors seeking aerospace and defense exposure without the risks associated with SpaceX. Rocket Lab recently signed its largest launch contract ever, a multilaunch deal for five Neutron and three Electron flights through 2029, pushing its total backlog past $2.2 billion. RTX reported a record $271 billion backlog in the first quarter of 2026, split between $162 billion in commercial aerospace and $109 billion in defense, and secured a 20-year, $50 billion Patriot missile defense contract. Palantir saw its Maven AI system designated a formal Pentagon program of record in March 2026, ensuring long-term budget allocation, while it also holds a $10 billion, decade-long enterprise agreement with the U.S. Army.
Palantir Technologies Inc.Maven AI designated a formal Pentagon program of record, ensuring long-term budget allocation, and holds a $10B Army enterprise agreement.
Rocket Lab USA Inc.Signed its largest launch contract ever, a multilaunch deal for five Neutron and three Electron flights through 2029, pushing backlog past $2.2B.
RTX CorporationRecord $271B backlog and secured a 20-year, $50B Patriot missile defense contract.