U.S. Defense ETF (DUTY) belongs to the Aerospace & Defense category. Below you'll find alternative ETFs from the same category, ranked by key criteria, plus funds that investors commonly compare with DUTY. Use the tables to find lower-cost options, better risk-adjusted returns, or a closer substitute for your current allocation.
Cheapest Alternatives to DUTY
DUTY charges 0.45% annually. There are 4 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with lower expense ratios, going as low as 0.35%.
| Symbol | Name | Expense Ratio | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SPDR S&P Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.35% | 6.05B | Sep 2011 | DUTY vs XAR | |
| Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF | 0.35% | — | Oct 2024 | DUTY vs NATO | |
| Xtrackers Europe Defense Technologies ETF | 0.35% | 4.33M | Feb 2026 | DUTY vs XDEF | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 0.38% | 14.19B | May 2006 | DUTY vs ITA | |
| WisdomTree Global Defense Fund | 0.45% | 5.29M | Sep 2025 | DUTY vs WDGF |
Best Risk-Adjusted Alternatives to DUTY
Among 13 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with risk / return rank data, the top risk-adjusted alternatives shown here go as high as 69.
| Symbol | Name | Risk / Return Rank | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | 69 | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | DUTY vs GCAD | |
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | 47 | 15.26M | Dec 2024 | DUTY vs FOWF | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 41 | 14.19B | May 2006 | DUTY vs ITA | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | 40 | 8.28B | Oct 2005 | DUTY vs PPA | |
| Procure Space ETF | 39 | 1.12B | Apr 2019 | DUTY vs UFO |
Top Performing DUTY Alternatives (YTD)
Among 19 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with YTD return data, the top-performing alternatives shown here go as high as 25.31%.
| Symbol | Name | YTD Return | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direxion Daily Aerospace & Defense Bull 3X Shares | 25.31% | 381.12M | May 2017 | DUTY vs DFEN | |
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | 22.04% | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | DUTY vs GCAD | |
| Truth Social American Security & Defense ETF | 16.25% | 12.67M | Dec 2025 | DUTY vs TSSD | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 13.76% | 14.19B | May 2006 | DUTY vs ITA | |
| Procure Space ETF | 13.70% | 1.12B | Apr 2019 | DUTY vs UFO |
Lowest Volatility Alternatives to DUTY
DUTY has 26.02% 1-year volatility. There are 9 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with lower 1-year volatility, going as low as 14.65%.
| Symbol | Name | Volatility 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | 14.65% | 15.26M | Dec 2024 | DUTY vs FOWF | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | 20.50% | 8.28B | Oct 2005 | DUTY vs PPA | |
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | 20.72% | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | DUTY vs GCAD | |
| Themes Transatlantic Defense ETF | 21.86% | — | Oct 2024 | DUTY vs NATO | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | 22.23% | 14.19B | May 2006 | DUTY vs ITA |
Lowest Drawdown Alternatives to DUTY
Among 13 ETFs in the Aerospace & Defense category with 1-year drawdown data, the lowest-drawdown alternatives shown here go as shallow as -10.08%.
| Symbol | Name | Max Drawdown 1Y | AUM | Inception | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pacer Solactive Whitney Future of Warfare ETF | -10.08% | 15.26M | Dec 2024 | DUTY vs FOWF | |
| Invesco Aerospace & Defense ETF | -13.71% | 8.28B | Oct 2005 | DUTY vs PPA | |
| Gabelli Commercial Aerospace & Defense ETF | -14.96% | 24.90M | Jan 2023 | DUTY vs GCAD | |
| iShares Defense Industrials Active ETF | -15.78% | 4.21B | May 2025 | DUTY vs IDEF | |
| iShares U.S. Aerospace & Defense ETF | -15.82% | 14.19B | May 2006 | DUTY vs ITA |
Often Compared With DUTY
Investors most often compare DUTY with DRNZ, WDAF, EUAD. These 11 comparison targets span 6 categories, based on PortfoliosLab usage data.
Compare DUTY with Any Fund or Stock
Compare DUTY with any ETF, mutual fund, or stock using PortfoliosLab's comparison tool.
Pair DUTY with funds that move differently
U.S. Defense ETF alternatives help with substitution. Diversifiers are the next step when you want funds with lower historical correlation to DUTY.
Explore DUTY Diversifiers