Major US defence companies reported mixed first-quarter earnings this week, with geopolitical conflicts — including the war involving the United States and Israel against Iran and the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war — fuelling demand for weapons and aircraft as the Pentagon races to replenish stockpiles. Northrop Grumman and RTX Corporation (parent of missile-maker Raytheon) saw revenue gains, with Northrop's sales rising 4.4 percent to $9.88bn on strong demand for its B-21 stealth bomber, while RTX raised its full-year forecasts after revenue surged 9 percent to $22.08bn. Lockheed Martin, however, disappointed analysts with net earnings falling to $1.5bn from $1.7bn a year earlier due to supply chain delays and F-16 development setbacks, while Boeing narrowed its losses significantly, posting only a $7m deficit compared to $31m in the same period last year.