defense

In 2011, the S&P 500 Index went nowhere. In fact, it lost a little. But you don't have to suffer just because stock prices stay flat -- if you buy companies that pay strong dividends, like these 4 options in the defense sector.

Taxes. We resent paying them, yet, for the most part, they fund things we'd rather not do without. But exactly how much of our money is going to each service? The White House has made it easy to answer that question. So here's a receipt for where your tax dollars are spent.

The debt-ceiling discussions may be over, but the fallout for states is just starting. Many states, still struggling to recover to pre-recession levels, have depended on federal money to make up their shortfalls. As the flow of money slows, which states will take the biggest hits?

When some new members of Congress recently said they oppose raising the U.S. debt limit, it triggered warnings of "catastrophic consequences." Indeed, the result wouldn't be pretty. But here's what's at stake as the country's debt burden swells every year.

Lockheed Martin Corp.'s (LMT) new F-35 fighter jet could be delayed by as long as three years, with development costs soaring by as much as $5 billion, Reuters reported. The Pentagon has estimated the cost of the F-35 program could top $380 billion, its most expensive weapons program ever. The...

The U.S. State Department says it will sell as much as $60 billion worth of military aircraft to Saudi Arabia over the next two decades in an attempt to protect the Middle East against the threat of Iranian military expansion. Boeing and United Technologies could benefit from the deal.

British defense company BAE Systems (BAESY) hired two banks to sell its U.S. component manufacturing businesses. The company confirmed Monday that it had hired Wells Fargo (WFC) and JP Morgan (JPM) "to advise on strategic options" regarding its Platform Solutions unit, including a possible sale,...

Boeing's plan to relocate two major defense programs from California to Oklahoma could signal the start of a major shift in the locations of defense contractors, and how they work. For the areas attracting the companies, it's about jobs. For the contractors, it's about remaining competitive.

The U.S. plans to sell advanced F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia in a $30 billion, 10-year arms package. The 84 Boeing Co. (BA) F-15s could help the Saudis deal with skirmishes with Yemeni rebels on the country's southern border, The Wall Street Journal said. The planes will have onboard...

Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) announced second-quarter earnings from continuing operations of $727 million, compared with $731 million in the second quarter of 2009. Net sales rose 3% to $11.4 billion from $11.1 billion in the same quarter in 2009, Lockheed said in a statement. The company...