5 Largest Private Military Contractors In The World

3. Academi (formerly Blackwater)

Personnel: 20,000

Academi is one of the largest military contractors in the world. Founded by Erik Prince in 1996 as Blackwater, the company was renamed as Academi in 2011, before it merged with Triple Canopy to form Constellis Holdings in 2014. The private military contractor had an active involvement in America’s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. During its peak, the force had its own fleet of armored vehicles and military aircraft, and even recently in 2017, Erik Prince offered assistance to the Afghan Air Force to boost their aerial capabilities. The offer, however, was declined by Kabul. According to Business Insider, Academi operates a 7,000 acre training facility in North Carolina.