Thursday☕️

Trending:

On June 17, 2026, the Trump administration released the full text of the Memorandum of Understanding signed with Iran.

The deal calls for an immediate and permanent ceasefire on all fronts including Lebanon — Israel’s main active front against Iranian-backed Hezbollah — while requiring the U.S. to lift its naval blockade within 30 days, allow toll-free shipping through the Strait of Hormuz for 60 days, release frozen Iranian funds, lift all sanctions on an agreed schedule, provide over $300 billion in reconstruction aid, and have Iran down-blend its enriched uranium under IAEA watch with no nuclear weapons development. Both sides will now negotiate a final comprehensive deal within 60 days.

Science & Technology:

On June 17, 2026, the U.S. Air Force selected Anduril for the production phase of its Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. Anduril is now under contract to build and deliver FQ-44 fighter drones, marking the first time in more than 50 years that a new company has won a major fighter aircraft program. The rapid timeline moves the system from prototype to production in just two years.

Statistic:

Largest public companies by market capitalization:

🇺🇸 NVIDIA: $4.956T
🇺🇸 Alphabet (Google): $4.418T
🇺🇸 Apple: $4.346T
🇺🇸 Microsoft: $2.814T
🇺🇸 Amazon: $2.554T
🇺🇸 SpaceX: $2.527T
🇹🇼 TSMC: $2.241T
🇺🇸 Broadcom: $1.869T
🇸🇦 Saudi Aramco: $1.714T
🇰🇷 Samsung: $1.518T
🇺🇸 Tesla: $1.488T
🇺🇸 Meta Platforms: $1.440T
🇰🇷 SK Hynix: $1.245T
🇺🇸 Micron Technology: $1.176T
🇺🇸 Berkshire Hathaway: $1.059T
🇺🇸 Eli Lilly: $991.61B
🇺🇸 Walmart: $940.08B
🇺🇸 JPMorgan Chase: $893.50B
🇺🇸 AMD: $835.65B
🇳🇱 ASML: $719.89B
🇺🇸 Visa: $628.29B
🇺🇸 Intel: $608.64B
🇺🇸 Exxon Mobil: $583.35B
🇺🇸 Johnson & Johnson: $563.77B
🇺🇸 Oracle: $527.84B
🇨🇳 Tencent: $502.49B

History:

Lockheed Martin is one of the most influential defense and aerospace companies in history, responsible for many of the aircraft, satellites, missiles, and military technologies that shaped modern warfare. Its roots trace back to 1912, when the Alco Hydro-Aeroplane Company was founded by brothers Allan and Malcolm Loughead (later changing the spelling to Lockheed). The company gained prominence in aviation during the 1920s and 1930s with aircraft such as the Lockheed Vega, flown by famous aviators including Amelia Earhart and Wiley Post. During World War II (1939–1945), Lockheed became a major military contractor, producing aircraft such as the P-38 Lightning, one of America’s most successful fighter aircraft. The company entered the jet age during the Cold War under legendary engineer Clarence “Kelly” Johnson, who founded Lockheed’s secretive Skunk Works division in 1943. Skunk Works would become one of the most famous advanced aerospace development organizations in history, producing aircraft such as the U-2 spy plane (1955), which flew intelligence missions over the Soviet Union, and the SR-71 Blackbird (1964), still one of the fastest aircraft ever built with speeds exceeding Mach 3. Throughout the Cold War, Lockheed became deeply integrated into U.S. military strategy, developing reconnaissance aircraft, missile systems, satellites, and classified aerospace technologies.
The modern company was formed in 1995 through the merger of Lockheed Corporation and Martin Marietta, creating Lockheed Martin. Martin Marietta itself had been a major defense contractor involved in missiles, spacecraft, and military electronics. The merger created one of the largest defense companies in the world. Lockheed Martin became the prime contractor for many of America’s most advanced systems, including the F-117 Nighthawk, the world’s first operational stealth fighter; the F-22 Raptor, introduced in the early 2000s and widely considered one of the most advanced air superiority fighters ever built; and the F-35 Lightning II, which became the largest and most expensive fighter aircraft program in history, serving the United States and numerous allied nations. Beyond aircraft, Lockheed Martin developed ballistic missile systems, missile defense technologies, military satellites, space exploration hardware, and naval combat systems. The company became a key participant in programs such as THAAD, Aegis Missile Defense, Patriot missile integration, GPS satellites, and classified national security space programs. During the War on Terror (2001–2021) and the rise of great-power competition with China and Russia, Lockheed Martin’s systems became central to U.S. military modernization.
By 2026, Lockheed Martin is one of the largest defense contractors on Earth, generating over $70 billion annually in revenue and employing roughly 120,000+ people worldwide. The company is a leader in stealth aircraft, missile defense, satellites, hypersonics, artificial intelligence integration, space systems, cyber warfare technologies, and next-generation military networks. Major programs include the F-35 Lightning II, used by more than 20 countries; the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter; THAAD missile defense systems; Aegis naval defense systems; advanced classified satellites; and support for NASA’s Orion spacecraft used in the Artemis lunar program. Lockheed Martin is also heavily involved in future technologies including autonomous systems, directed-energy weapons, hypersonic missiles, and space-based defense architectures. Few companies have had a greater impact on American military power over the last century. From the P-38 Lightning in World War II, to the SR-71 Blackbird, F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, and advanced space systems of today, Lockheed Martin has helped define the evolution of aerospace, intelligence, and defense technology for more than 100 years.