The summer of 2016 will be remembered as an unusually bloody one in the global war against terrorism. In June, the U.S. suffered a terrorist attack in an Orlando nightclub — the worst since September 11. A little more than a month later, a horrific rampage by a radicalized individual shocked residents of Nice, France; then an attempted coup d’état in Turkey immediately followed, bringing international security — and by default, defense stocks — to the limelight.

Conflict is typically a destabilizing element. Yet when business revolves around conflict, it’s hard not to have a cynical view on defense stocks.

Nevertheless, several security contractors haven’t seen much in the markets to cheer about. The benchmark exchange-traded fund iShares Dow Jones US Aerospace & Defense ETF (NYSEARCA:ITA) has been mostly flat over the last week. This is despite the fact that traders jumped all over ITA on the Friday immediately following the Nice attack.

Have defense stocks lost their luster? Several individual names continue to outperform the broader markets, and the ITA is up 8% year-to-date, comparing favorably to the 6% registered by the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust (NYSEARCA:SPY). It’s too early to call defense stocks duds. But the sector has hit some nearer-term volatility, particularly for the month of June. That has already anxious investors on edge.

Rather than trying to guess the trajectory of defense stocks based on the news cycle, it’s probably a better idea to focus on the basics. For one thing, terror incidents are a questionable barometer. Immediately following the Paris attack in November of last year, ITA gained 2%. However, after the San Bernardino attack, the defense stocks ETF actually slipped 1%. Both times, volume was higher than average, indicative of buyers trading the news.

• 7 Stocks to Buy in the Healthcare Sweet Spot

In the long run, defense stocks are like anything else — the good ones will rise to the top, and the bad ones will sink. Here are three security contractors that should continue to provide solid returns after a brief respite.

Defense Stocks to Buy: United Technologies Corporation

First up on our list is powerhouse United Technologies Corporation (NYSE:UTX). Carrying a market capitalization of $88 billion, and employing nearly 200,000 workers, UTX is one of the premier names in the defense and aerospace industry.

Perhaps one of the biggest claims to fame is the Pratt & Whitney engine, which is found among the military aircraft of 31 nations. Demand is just as strong in the civilian sector, with UTX recently signing a deal to provide engines for 32 Airbus A320 jetliners.

Scheduled for release next Tuesday, UTX is carrying broad momentum heading into its second quarter of fiscal year 2016 earnings report. Over the last month, UTX stock is up 4%. The company also has a strong history of meeting or exceeding consensus earnings targets, with only one miss in the last three years. Analysts peg earnings per share for Q2 to come in at $1.68, 3 cents below the year-ago level’s estimate.

Whether UTX can surprise again next week is a bit of a tossup. Covering analysts are split in their recommendations for the company. While UTX has one of the best profitability margins among defense stocks, revenue trends have been disappointing since peaking in 2014. At the same time, we have to recognize its long-term stability. Shares have been through much worse, and have still come around to provide solid returns.

Unless airplanes are going out of style, UTX shares are likely going through a healthy correction.

Defense Stocks to Buy: Northrop Grumman Corporation

One of the more innovative names among defense stocks, Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) is best known for its military jets, including the instantly recognizable — not to mention, intimidating — A-10 Thunderbolt II.

However, its advancements in robotics technology have caught the most attention recently. Earlier this month when a crazed gunman attacked law enforcement officers in Dallas, a “bomb robot,” manufactured by an NOC subsidiary was called into action to neutralize the suspect. While this generated ethical controversies, one thing is clear — lives were saved.

NOC executives will be hoping to carry this momentum into its Q2 earnings, which is scheduled for release on July 27. From the look of things, both management and shareholders have reason to be confident. NOC has exceeded expectations for the last 13 earnings reports. The last four have been particularly strong, with an average surprise of nearly 22%. Analysts forecast an earnings-per-share target of $2.53 for Q2, a figure that should be well within reason.

To compensate for the slowing top-line sales trends affecting defense stocks, NOC has made a concerted effort towards tighter financial controls. That has resulted in generally higher margins across the board. Share buybacks have also added more value for NOC buyers. Best of all, the markets have responded enthusiastically. On a YTD basis, NOC is up 17%.

• 10 Stocks With More Upside Than Apple Inc. (AAPL)

The bottom line is that NOC stock is a proven winner, with more to like than dislike.

Defense Stocks to Buy: Raytheon Company

Of the many defense stocks structurally benefiting from the international campaign against terrorism, Raytheon Company (NYSE:RTN) stands atop an elite list. Manufacturer of the Patriot Air Defense system, RTN has made a ton of money distributing and updating one of their core products.

However, growing interest towards a 360-degree radar scan update would make the Patriot an even more compelling security solution. This is especially true given the threat of terror groups and belligerent, rogue nations like North Korea.

RTN is scheduled to release results for Q2 FY2016 before the opening bell of July 28. If recent history is anything to go by, RTN is well positioned for a positive surprise. Since the beginning of 2013, shares exceeded consensus targets, with the exception of Q2 FY2014, when RTN matched expectations. For the upcoming quarter, EPS is slated for $1.65, which happens to be near the low end of the forecasting spectrum.

From a fundamental point of view, RTN has at least a fighting chance to make Wall Street happy. It’s one of the few defense stocks that are showing consistently rising sales. Over the last four quarters, revenue has increased an average of 5% year-over-year. The last reporting quarter was especially strong at 9%. Investors should also consider the technical strength of RTN, where it has steadily made gains since mid-February of this year.

Like it or not, there’s too much at stake for RTN to go anywhere but up.

As of this writing, Josh Enomoto did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.