Lethal Weapons Market Report 2025

The lethal weapons market size has grown strongly in recent years. It will grow from $26.59 billion in 2024 to $28.06 billion in 2025 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.5%. The growth during the historic period is due to an increase in global conflicts, intensified arms races, expansion of colonial interests, heightened geopolitical tensions, accelerated military modernization, and escalating national security concerns.

The lethal weapons market size is expected to see strong growth in the next few years. It will grow to $34.47 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.3%. The expected growth over the forecast period can be linked to increasing geopolitical tensions, larger defense budgets, growing demand for updated military equipment, intensified counter-terrorism initiatives, rising international arms trade agreements, and the growth of private security forces. Key trends anticipated include progress in autonomous weapons systems, integration of artificial intelligence, precision-guided munitions, adoption of stealth technology, development of hypersonic weapons, cyber-enabled warfare capabilities, and innovations in firearms.

The growing defense budgets are set to fuel the expansion of the lethal weapons market going forward. Defense budgets represent the financial resources allocated by countries to acquire, replenish, and maintain stocks of bullets, shells, missiles, and other ammunition. Rising geopolitical tensions have led nations to boost military spending to enhance strategic deterrence, strengthen military capabilities, and prepare for potential conflicts. This increase in funding facilitates the development of advanced lethal weapons through support for research, innovation, and large-scale manufacturing. For example, in December 2023, the UK secured defense contracts valued at $16.04 billion (£12 billion) for 2022, according to the House of Commons Library. This marked a $6.15 billion (£4.6 billion) increase from 2021, indicating a significant rise in defense procurement and investment in cutting-edge military technology. Thus, the upward trend in defense budgets is a major driver of growth in the lethal weapons market.

Leading companies in the lethal weapons market are emphasizing improvements in firearms technology such as the long-range swing revolver to boost accuracy, extend firing range, enhance durability, and meet evolving demands in military and law enforcement applications. A long-range swing revolver is a handgun designed for improved accuracy at greater distances and incorporates a swing-out cylinder to facilitate rapid reloading. For instance, in August 2023, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited introduced 'Prabal,' its first long-range swing revolver aimed at civilians, offering a 50-meter firing range, twice that of standard revolvers. This revolver features a side swing-out cylinder, a design previously available only in some imported models like the Webley Scott. This mechanism simplifies reloading by allowing the cylinder to swing out sideways rather than requiring the frame to be broken open, speeding up and easing the reloading process.

In May 2024, Colt CZ Group SE, a firearms manufacturer based in the Czech Republic, acquired Sellier & Bellot for $703 million. This acquisition is intended to enhance Colt CZ Group SE’s ammunition production capacity and strengthen its standing in the firearms market. Sellier & Bellot is a Czech company specializing in firearms and ammunition.

Major players in the lethal weapons market are Raytheon Technologies Inc., The Boeing Company, Lockheed Martin Corporation, Airbus SE, General Dynamics Corporation, Northrop Grumman Corporation, BAE Systems, Thales Group, Leonardo S.p.A., Rheinmetall AG, Saab AB, MBDA Inc., Krauss-Maffei Wegmann GmbH & Co. KG, FN Herstal, Nammo AS, Denel SOC Ltd., Bharat Dynamics Limited, Taurus Systems GmbH, ST Engineering, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited.

North America was the largest region in the lethal weapons market in 2024. Asia-Pacific is expected to be the fastest-growing region in the forecast period. The regions covered in lethal weapons report are Asia-Pacific, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, North America, South America, Middle East and Africa. The countries covered in the lethal weapons market report are Australia, Brazil, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Russia, South Korea, UK, USA, Canada, Italy, Spain.

Note that the outlook for this market is being affected by rapid changes in trade relations and tariffs globally. The report will be updated prior to delivery to reflect the latest status, including revised forecasts and quantified impact analysis. The report’s Recommendations and Conclusions sections will be updated to give strategies for entities dealing with the fast-moving international environment.

The sharp hike in U.S. tariffs and the associated trade disputes in spring 2025 are notably impacting the aerospace and defense sector by raising costs for titanium, carbon fiber composites, and avionics materials largely sourced from global suppliers. Defense contractors, locked into fixed-price government contracts, absorb these added costs, while commercial aerospace firms face airline pushback on higher aircraft prices. Delays in component shipments due to customs bottlenecks further disrupt tight production schedules for jets and satellites. The industry is responding by stockpiling critical materials, seeking waivers for defense-related imports, and collaborating with allied nations to diversify supply chain.

Lethal weapons are tools or devices designed or capable of causing death or serious bodily harm. Their deployment supports the enforcement of authority, deters aggression, and aids in managing conflict or crisis situations.

The primary categories of lethal weapons include directed energy weapons, firearms, missiles and rockets, nuclear weapons, ammunition, chemical and biological weapons, and explosives. Directed energy weapons are sophisticated systems that utilize concentrated energy such as lasers, microwaves, or particle beams to harm, disable, or destroy targets. These weapons employ various technologies, including mechanical and kinetic approaches, high-energy lasers, chemical, acoustic, and electromagnetic methods. They are used by military forces, law enforcement, and civilians.

The lethal weapons market research report is one of a series of new reports that provides lethal weapons market statistics, including the lethal weapons industry global market size, regional shares, competitors with the lethal weapons market share, detailed lethal weapons market segments, market trends, and opportunities, and any further data you may need to thrive in the lethal weapons industry. This lethal weapons market research report delivers a complete perspective of everything you need, with an in-depth analysis of the current and future scenarios of the industry.

The lethal weapons market consists of sales of guided and unguided projectile weapons, grenades, landmines, bullets, and shells. Values in this market are ‘factory gate’ values, that is, the value of goods sold by the manufacturers or creators of the goods, whether to other entities (including downstream manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and retailers) or directly to end customers. The value of goods in this market includes related services sold by the creators of the goods.

The market value is defined as the revenues that enterprises gain from the sale of goods and/or services within the specified market and geography through sales, grants, or donations in terms of the currency (in USD unless otherwise specified).

The revenues for a specified geography are consumption values that are revenues generated by organizations in the specified geography within the market, irrespective of where they are produced. It does not include revenues from resales along the supply chain, either further along the supply chain or as part of other products.

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