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ITA vs WAR

iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF

ITAACboe

U.S. Global Technology and Aerospace & Defense ETF

WARCNYSE Arca

Overlap

3.6%by weight

Expense ratio

ITA −0.23pt a year

ITA0.37%WAR0.60%

Avg volume · 30D

ITA 53.9×the volume

ITA747KWAR13.9K

ITA vs WAR Performance

Oct 31, 2025 – Nov 2, 2026

−0.3%ITA+16.9%WAR

Oct 31, 2025 to Nov 2, 2026. ITA −0.3%. WAR +16.9%. Use the arrow keys to read each point.40%60%Oct 2025May 2026Nov 2026
Expense ratio
ITA 0.37%, better
WAR 0.60%
Fund size
ITA $12.2B
WAR $32M
1Y total return
ITA −0.3%
WAR +16.9%, better
Yield (12M)
ITA 0.26%
WAR No data
Holdings
ITA 52
WAR 29
Avg volume (30D)
ITA 747K sh, better
WAR 13.9K sh
NAV per share
ITA $209.66
WAR $27.95
52W range

ETF.net Grade

ITA: Cost 80, Risk 62, Mission 76, Tradability 96, Holdings 34, Durability 98. WAR: Cost 34, Risk 40, Mission not scored, Tradability 39, Holdings 55, Durability 52.
Pillar letters and Scores for ITA, WAR, with each pillar’s weight
PillarITAWAR
Cost30% weightA80HigherD34
Mission25% weightA76Not scored
Risk15% weightB62HigherC40
Tradability15% weightA96HigherD39
Holdings10% weightD34B55Higher
Durability5% weightA98HigherC52

Rank among Defense & Aerospace funds

How we build Categories ›
Same Category. Both funds are graded against the same funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Same Category. ITA and WAR are both graded against the same 25 Defense & Aerospace funds, so their Grades compare head to head.

Defense & Aerospace⁠

Category · 25 funds
See all 25 ›

ITA ranks 2nd and WAR 14th of 25 funds in the Defense & Aerospace Category.

  1. Rank 1AXARState Street SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETFScore 78
  2. Rank 2AITAiShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETFScore 74
  3. Rank 3BFLDZTrueShares Patriot Defense ETFScore 62
  4. Rank 14CGCADGabelli Commercial Aerospace and Defense ETFScore 40
  5. Rank 14CWARU.S. Global Technology and Aerospace & Defense ETFScore 40
  6. Rank 14CWRCorgi U.S. War Machine ETFScore 40

Our read on each fund

ETF.net Research

ITAAiShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF

WARCU.S. Global Technology and Aerospace & Defense ETF

In short

ITA The 2006 original in aerospace and defense, and still the anchor fund of the category. It follows a market-cap-weighted index of U.S. aircraft, parts and weapons makers, so the big primes carry most of the weight.

WAR Most defense funds buy the primes. WAR's bet is that modern warfare runs on chips, code and data centers, so it pairs aerospace and defense names with semiconductors and cybersecurity in one active, roughly 30-stock portfolio.

Stated mandate

ITA The fund is designed to follow an index of U.S. equity companies focused on aerospace and defense.

WAR The Fund seeks capital appreciation. It invests at least 80% of net assets in technology and aerospace and defense equities, emphasizing companies whose products, services, or innovations support national defense, including aerospace, physical, and cybersecurity defense.

Why people hold it

  • ITA Charges 0.37% a year, below the typical defense-fund fee and a whisker off the cheapest large rival, XAR at 0.35%.
  • Trading since 2006 and now a multi-billion-dollar, actively traded fund: the long-standing incumbent in U.S. aerospace and defense.
  • The index weights by market cap but caps any single company's weight, so the biggest primes lead without swallowing the whole portfolio.spglobal.com
  • One of the strongest builds in a crowded defense peer group, with a plain-vanilla index mandate and quarterly payouts.
  • WAR Defense plus the tech behind it: aerospace and defense manufacturers sit alongside semiconductors, cybersecurity, data centers and electronic warfare names.globenewswire.com
  • Actively managed, not a fixed defense index: managers pick names with quantitative screens and fundamental research, benchmarked to the S&P 500 Total Return Index.usfunds.comusglobaletfs.com
  • Roughly 30 holdings, so each position carries real weight. A concentrated take on the theme rather than a watered-down basket.

Worth knowing

  • ITA About 50 stocks, cap-weighted: a few primes drive most of the ride. XAR's modified equal weight spreads exposure further down the size ladder.ssga.com
  • One U.S. industry, running on two engines: government procurement and commercial aircraft demand. Narrower than a broad-market fund by design.ishares.com
  • Holds a representative sample of the index rather than every constituent, which can leave small gaps versus the benchmark.sec.gov
  • WAR 0.60% a year runs a touch above the typical global thematic fund. That is the tab for an active manager rather than an index.
  • Non-diversified and deliberately concentrated, so a rough stretch for chipmakers can drag it even when defense spending holds up.globenewswire.com
  • Launched at the end of 2024 and still a small, lightly traded fund: short track record, and spreads can be wider than in the category giants.

Full ITA profile⁠

Full WAR profile⁠

ITA vs WAR Holdings

How ITA and WAR differ

Overlap by weight

3.6%

Shared holdings make up 24.9% of WAR and 3.6% of ITA.

Level by level

  • Sector5 Sectors0.0%
  • Holdings5 in both3.6%
  • Countryby domicile78.4%
  • Asset classEquity100%

Sector

Sector weights in ITA and WAR, widest gap first
SectorMore in ITAMore in WAR
Aerospace & DefenseITA +99.9 points
TechnologyWAR +53.7 points
IndustrialsWAR +45.2 points
CommunicationWAR +1.1 points
Leisure ProductsITA +0.1 points

Country, concentration and asset class

Country by domicile

Country weights in ITA and WAR, widest gap first
CountryMore in ITAMore in WAR
United StatesITA +21.6 points
AustraliaWAR +7.0 points
GermanyWAR +6.6 points
SwedenWAR +4.5 points
NetherlandsWAR +3.6 points

Outside the US: WAR 100% developed, 0% emerging.

Concentration

Weight in the 10 largest Holdings

  • ITA76.3%
  • WAR57.7%

Securities held

  • ITA50
  • WAR29

Asset class

ITA
Equity
WAR
Equity

Holdings

  • Only in ITA45
  • In both5
  • Only in WAR24

Only in ITA

45 securities, 96.3% of ITA by weight

  • Ge Aerospace20.02%
  • Rtx17.22%
  • Boeing6.83%

Only in WAR

24 securities, 75.2% of WAR by weight

  • Micron Technology Inc7.43%
  • DroneShield Ltd6.70%
  • Rheinmetall AG6.64%

Weight gaps

All 5 Holdings in both funds, largest gap first.

Holding weights in ITA and WAR, widest gap first
HoldingMore in ITAMore in WAR
AerovironmentAVAVWAR +7.06 points
National Presto Industries IncNPKWAR +4.27 points
Loar HoldingsLOARWAR +3.64 points
Karman Holdings IncKRMNWAR +3.40 points
Axon EnterpriseAXONWAR +2.83 points

All 50 ITA holdings⁠All 29 WAR holdings⁠

How we measure overlap

Each holding counts at its smaller weight in the two funds, summed over the full Holdings. Sector, country and asset class use the same rule on each fund’s split. Cash, FX and derivative lines stay out of the counts. Two bond funds get no overlap figure.

ITA vs WAR Cost

Overpaying WAR vs ITA

$4,304

On $10,000 over 30 years. 7% growth a year before fees, expense ratio only.

  • ITA 0.37%

    $7,513

  • WAR 0.60%

    $11,817

$10,000
30 years

Cost over time

  • ITA 0.37%
  • WAR 0.60%
  • Overpaying
One line per fund, from year 0 to year 30. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2.5K$5K$7.5K$10K$12.5K051015202530WAR $11,817ITA $7,513

Year by year

YearITAWAROverpaying
10$670$1,076$406
20$2,590$4,116$1,526
30$7,513$11,817$4,304

Expense ratio

  • 0.37%ITA, cheaper
  • 0.60%WAR
  • Middle half of Defense & Aerospace funds
  • Median 0.50%

ITA 5th cheapest of 25 funds

WAR 16th cheapest of 25 funds

ITA vs WAR Dividends

Last 12 months to Nov 2, 2026
Yield (12M)
ITA 0.26%
WAR No data
Payout (12M)
ITA $0.57
WAR No data
Last payment
ITA $0.25
WAR $2.95
Ex-dividend
ITA Sep 15, 2026
WAR Dec 24, 2025
Paid on
ITA Sep 18, 2026
WAR Dec 26, 2025
Frequency
ITA Quarterly
WAR Irregular

Distribution history

Per share, 2017 to 2026, same scale for both

ITAQuarterly · 39 paymentsAll ITA payments⁠
One bar per payment. 39 payments from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Mar 24, 2017 $0.16; Jun 27, 2017 $0.19; Sep 26, 2017 $0.35; Dec 19, 2017 $0.16; Mar 22, 2018 $0.21; Jun 26, 2018 $0.22; Sep 26, 2018 $0.43; Dec 17, 2018 $0.11; Mar 20, 2019 $0.29; Jun 17, 2019 $0.31; Sep 24, 2019 $0.29; Dec 16, 2019 $0.53; Dec 30, 2019 $0.29; Mar 25, 2020 $0.39; Jun 15, 2020 $0.21; Sep 23, 2020 $0.20; Dec 14, 2020 $0.20; Mar 25, 2021 $0.32; Jun 10, 2021 $0.19; Sep 24, 2021 $0.18; Dec 13, 2021 $0.16; Mar 24, 2022 $0.16; Jun 9, 2022 $0.28; Sep 26, 2022 $0.38; Dec 13, 2022 $0.24; Mar 23, 2023 $0.28; Jun 7, 2023 $0.24; Sep 26, 2023 $0.22; Dec 20, 2023 $0.43; Mar 21, 2024 $0.27; Jun 11, 2024 $0.30; Sep 25, 2024 $0.23; Dec 17, 2024 $0.44; Mar 18, 2025 $0.25; Jun 16, 2025 $0.17; Sep 16, 2025 $0.75; Mar 17, 2026 $0.15; Jun 15, 2026 $0.16; Sep 15, 2026 $0.25. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2.502017202020232026YTD
WARIrregular · 1 paymentAll WAR payments⁠
One bar per payment. 1 payment from 2017 to 2026 YTD. Dec 24, 2025 $2.95. Use the arrow keys to read each point.$0$2.502017202020232026YTD

ITA vs WAR Risk

Fall from peak · 5 years

This chart needs five years of history for both funds.

Risk facts

VolatilityStd dev, 3 years
ITA 18.5%WAR 32.0%since Jan 2025
Return per unit of riskSharpe ratio, 3 years
ITA 1.06WAR 0.81since Jan 2025
Worst fallMax drawdown, 5 years
ITA −20.0%WAR −25.2%since Dec 2024
Market sensitivityBeta, 5 years
ITA 0.98WAR 1.85

ITA and WAR in the news

All news⁠

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