Ukraine war boosts weapons makers' stock prices, but revenue to take years to flow through

The United States has given nearly a third of its existing stocks of Javelin anti-tank systems to Ukraine. (Reuters: Gleb Garanich)

When Russia launched its invasion of Ukraine at the end of February, the stock prices of many of the world's biggest arms manufacturers spiked.

As the first Russian tanks rolled across the border, investors flocked to companies, including Raytheon, Northrop Grumman, Thales, Lockheed Martin and General Dynamics.