Defense Stocks: Why Long Procurement Cycles Demand Patient Investors

By Drift Striker · March 3, 2026

The defense industry operates on a timeline that makes most retail investors uncomfortable. While tech stocks can surge on a single product launch or earnings beat, defense contractors often spend years—sometimes a decade or more—developing systems before seeing meaningful revenue. Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program took over 20 years from initial development contract to full-rate production. […]