SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

Check the appropriate box:

☐	Preliminary Proxy Statement

☐	Confidential, for Use of the Commission Only (as permitted by Rule 14a-6(e)(2))

☒	Definitive Proxy Statement

☐	Definitive Additional Materials

☐	Soliciting Material Pursuant to §240.14a-12

CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if other than the Registrant)

Payment of Filing Fee (Check the appropriate box):

☒	No fee required.

☐	Fee computed on table below per Exchange Act Rules 14a-6(i)(1) and 0-11.

	(1)	Title of each class of securities to which transaction applies:
	(2)	Aggregate number of securities to which transaction applies:
	(3)	Per unit price or other underlying value of transaction computed pursuant to Exchange Act Rule 0-11 (set forth the amount on which the filing fee is calculated and state how it was determined):
	(4)	Proposed maximum aggregate value of transaction:
	(5)	Total fee paid:

☐	Fee paid previously with preliminary materials.

☐	Check box if any part of the fee is offset as provided by Exchange Act Rule 0-11(a)(2) and identify the filing for which the offsetting fee was paid previously. Identify the previous filing by registration statement number, or the Form or Schedule and the date of its filing.

	(1)	Amount Previously Paid:
	(2)	Form, Schedule or Registration Statement No.:
	(3)	Filing Party:
	(4)	Date Filed:

Dear Valued Stockholder:

You are cordially invited to attend the annual meeting of stockholders of Curtiss-Wright Corporation to be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Homewood Suites by Hilton, 125 Harbour Place Drive, Davidson, North Carolina 28036, commencing at 1:00 p.m. local time (the “Annual Meeting”).

We intend to hold the Annual Meeting in person again this year. The proxies that we solicit give you the opportunity to vote on all scheduled matters that come before the annual meeting. Whether or not you plan to attend, you can be sure that your shares are represented by promptly voting and submitting your proxy by phone or by internet as described in the following materials. If you want proxy materials mailed to you, you can make a request by completing, signing, dating and returning your proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided. Please refer to the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting and Proxy Statement for further important information about the Annual Meeting.

The Notice of Annual Meeting and the Proxy Statement, which follow this letter, provide information concerning matters to be considered and acted upon at the annual meeting. We will present a brief report on our business followed by a question-and-answer period at the annual meeting.

In accordance with rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, we are using the internet as our primary means of furnishing proxy materials to our stockholders. Accordingly, most stockholders will not receive paper copies of our proxy materials. We will instead send our stockholders a notice with instructions for accessing the proxy materials and voting electronically over the internet or by telephone. The notice also provides information on how stockholders may request paper copies of our proxy materials. We believe electronic delivery of our proxy materials will help us reduce the environmental impact and costs of printing and distributing paper copies and improve the speed and efficiency by which our stockholders can access these materials.

We are resolutely focused on strengthening our culture and our workplace—putting greater emphasis on talent acquisition and development, and the employee experience. We are committed to ensuring our business practices are sustainable, and we will do our part to support the ongoing initiatives, so the state of our planet and our communities are healthier tomorrow than they are today.

Finally, on behalf of the entire Curtiss-Wright family, I wish to thank Dean M. Flatt, who will retire from the Board just prior to our 2026 annual meeting of stockholders. Mr. Flatt is retiring with more than 13 years of distinguished service and leadership at Curtiss-Wright. I congratulate Mr. Flatt on his retirement and thank him for his leadership, counsel, and friendship.

On behalf of your Board of Directors, management, and our employees, I would like to express our appreciation for your investment and continued support. I look forward to your participation in the Annual Meeting.

	Sincerely,

	Lynn M. Bamford
	Chair and Chief Executive Officer

CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION

130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF STOCKHOLDERS

To the holders of the common stock of Curtiss-Wright Corporation:

Notice is hereby given that the annual meeting of stockholders (the “Annual Meeting”) of Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), will be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at Homewood Suites by Hilton, 125 Harbour Place Drive, Davidson, North Carolina 28036, commencing at 1:00 pm local time, for the following purposes:

	(1)	To elect the nine director nominees named herein;

	(2)	To ratify the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2026;

	(3)	To approve on an advisory basis the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers; and

	(4)	To consider and transact such other business as may properly come before the Annual Meeting.

Only record holders of the Company’s common stock at the close of business on March 13, 2026, the record date for the Annual Meeting, are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Annual Meeting. A list of stockholders will be available for examination by any stockholder(s) at the Annual Meeting and during normal business hours at the offices of the Company, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036, during the ten days preceding the Annual Meeting date.

The Company cordially invites all stockholders to attend the Annual Meeting in person. Stockholders who plan to attend the Annual Meeting in person are nevertheless requested to vote their shares electronically over the Internet, by telephone, or if you receive a proxy card in the mail, by signing, dating and returning the proxy card in the postage-paid envelope provided, to make certain that their vote will be represented at the Annual Meeting should they be prevented unexpectedly from attending.

	By Order of the Board of Directors,


March 26, 2026	George P. McDonald
	Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary

IMPORTANT: WHETHER OR NOT YOU PLAN TO ATTEND THE ANNUAL MEETING, PLEASE PROMPTLY SUBMIT YOUR PROXY ELECTRONICALLY OVER THE INTERNET OR BY TELEPHONE, OR IF YOU RECEIVE A PAPER PROXY CARD, PLEASE FILL IN, SIGN AND PROMPTLY RETURN YOUR PROXY CARD IN THE ENCLOSED POSTAGE-PAID ENVELOPE

Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Stockholder Meeting to be Held on Thursday, May 7, 2026. A Notice and Proxy Statement and combined Business Review/2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K to security holders are available at: www.proxyvote.com.

[This Page Intentionally Left Blank]

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROXY SUMMARY		1
Voting Matters and Vote Recommendations		1
Director Nominees		2
Corporate Governance Highlights		3
2025 Financial Performance Highlights		3
Executive Compensation Practices Highlights		4
Corporate Sustainability		5
PROXY STATEMENT		9
Purpose		9
Internet Availability of Proxy Materials		9
Information Concerning the Annual Meeting		9
PROPOSAL ONE: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS		12
General Information		12
Overview of Curtiss-Wright’s Current Board of Directors		13
Director Nominee Skills		13
Information Regarding Nominees		15
Family Relationships		24
Certain Legal Proceedings		24
Compensation of Directors		24
STRUCTURE AND PRACTICES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS		24
Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Conduct		24
Meetings of the Board		25
Communication with the Board		26
Director Independence		26
Board Committees		27
Board and Board Committees Self-Evaluation Process		29
Board Leadership Structure		30
Board Role in Risk Oversight		31
Board Oversight of ESG		33
Board Role in Strategic Oversight		34
Succession Planning		34
Director Onboarding and Education		35
Stockholder Nominations for Directors		35
Board Membership Criteria and Selection Process for Director Nominees		36
Board Tenure		37
Board Member Time Commitments		38
Stockholder Engagement		38
Audit Committee Report		39
COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS		41
EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION		62
PAY RATIO DISCLOSURE RULE		69
PAY VERSUS PERFORMANCE		70
COMPENSATION OF DIRECTORS		75
PROPOSAL TWO: RATIFICATION OF APPOINTMENT OF THE INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM		79
PROPOSAL THREE: ADVISORY VOTE TO APPROVE THE COMPENSATION OF THE COMPANY’S NAMED EXECUTIVE OFFICERS		81
HOUSEHOLDING OF ANNUAL DISCLOSURE DOCUMENTS		82
DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF STOCKHOLDER PROPOSALS FOR 2027 ANNUAL MEETING		83
2025 ANNUAL REPORT ON FORM 10-K		83
OTHER MATTERS WHICH MAY BE PRESENTED FOR ACTION AT THE MEETING		84

CAUTIONARY STATEMENTS

Disclosures in this Proxy Statement may be deemed to contain “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expects,” “intend,” “may,” “might,” “outlook,” “potential,” “predict,” “should,” “will,” as well as the negative of any of the foregoing or variations of such terms or comparable terminology, or by discussion of strategy. No assurance may be given that the future results described by the forward-looking statements will be achieved. While the Company believes these forward-looking statements are reasonable, they are only predictions and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, many of which are beyond our control, which could cause actual results, performance or achievement to differ materially from anticipated future results, performance or achievement expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. In addition, other risks, uncertainties, assumptions, and factors that could affect our results and prospects are described under the heading “Item 1A. Risk Factors” in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) and elsewhere in that report, and may further be described in our prior and future filings with the SEC and other written and oral statements made or released by the Company.

Given these risks and uncertainties, you are cautioned not to place undue reliance on such forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they were made, and the Company assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements to reflect actual results or changes in or additions to the factors affecting such forward-looking statements.

PROXY SUMMARY

The following is a summary that highlights information contained elsewhere in this Proxy Statement. This summary does not contain all the information you should consider, and before voting, you are urged to carefully read the entire Proxy Statement.

Voting Matters and Vote Recommendations

The Company currently expects to consider three items of business at the 2026 Annual Meeting. The following table lists those items of business and the Board’s vote recommendation.

Proposal	Board Recommendation	Reasons for Recommendation	More Information
(1) Election of the nine director nominees named herein to a one-year term	FOR ALL	The Board and the Committee on Directors and Governance believe the nominees possess the skills, experience, and qualifications to effectively monitor performance, provide oversight and support management’s execution of the Company’s long-term strategy.	Page 12
(2) Ratification of the independent registered public accounting firm	FOR	Based on their assessment, the Board and the Audit Committee believes that the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP is in the best interests of the Company and its stockholders.	Page 79
(3) Advisory vote to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers	FOR	The Company’s executive compensation program incorporates several compensation governance best practices and reflects the Company’s commitment to pay for performance.	Page 81

Director Nominees

The Company believes that all Director Nominees who are being voted on at the Annual Meeting are highly qualified and vital members of a well-rounded, experienced Board. Set forth below is summary information concerning the Company’s Director Nominees.

Name	Age	Director Since	Principal Occupation	Independent
Lynn M. Bamford	62	2021	Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Curtiss-Wright Corporation	No
Bruce D. Hoechner	66	2017	Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Rogers Corporation	Yes
Jeffrey J. Lyash	63	N/A	Former President and Chief Executive Officer, Tennessee Valley Authority	Yes
Glenda J. Minor	69	2019	Chief Executive Officer and Principal, Silket Advisory Services	Yes
Anthony J. Moraco	66	2021	Former Chief Executive Officer and member of the Board of Directors, Science Applications International Corporation	Yes
Admiral (Ret.) William F. Moran	67	2023	President, WFM Advisors, LLC; Former Vice Chief of Naval Operations	Yes
Robert J. Rivet	72	2011	Former Executive Vice President, Chief Operations and Administrative Officer, Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.	Yes
Peter C. Wallace	71	2016	Former Chief Executive Officer, Gardner Denver Inc.	Yes
Lieutenant General (Ret.) Larry D. Wyche	68	2023	Chief Executive Officer, Wyche Leadership and Supply Chain Consulting; Former Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command	Yes

Corporate Governance Highlights

The Company is committed to good corporate governance, which promotes the long-term interests of stockholders, strengthens Board and executive leadership accountability, and helps build public trust in the Company. As part of this commitment, the Board has adopted best practices in corporate governance, including the following:

Board Independence

•	8 out of 9 director nominees are independent
•	100% independent key Board committee members (Audit Committee, Committee on Directors and Governance, Executive Compensation Committee, and Finance Committee)
•	Chair and CEO is the only management Director nominee

Lead Independent Director

•	Consults with Chair regarding setting Board meeting agendas, and consults with all Board committees
•	Serves as liaison between the Chair and the independent directors
•	Facilitates communication between and among the independent directors and management
•	Presides at all Board meetings where the Chair is not present, including executive sessions of the independent directors
•	Is available, when appropriate, for consultation and direct communication with stockholders
•	Coordinates annual Board performance review of Chief Executive Officer
•	Leads the discussion of Board’s self-assessment and evaluation of results

Board Practices

•	Annual election of directors
•	Annual Board and committee evaluations
•	Regular executive sessions of non-management directors
•	Board participation in executive succession planning
•	Annual review of Committee Charters and Corporate Governance Principles
•	Full Board is responsible for risk oversight and the Board committees oversee certain key risks
•	The Board oversees senior management in its assessment and mitigation of risks, and in taking appropriate risks

Other Best Practices

•	Comprehensive Code of Conduct and Corporate Governance Principles
•	Anti-hedging and anti-pledging policy
•	Annual Say-on-Pay Vote
•	Robust “clawback” policies for Incentive Compensation, including the adoption of an incentive compensation clawback policy for Section 16 officers pursuant to Dodd-Frank in the event of certain accounting restatements
•	Robust stock ownership requirements for directors and executive officers
•	Strong pay-for-performance philosophy
•	Succession Planning Process

2025 Financial Performance Highlights

	•	Adjusted organic Sales Growth of 11.6%.
	•	Adjusted Operating Margin of 18.5%; and
	•	Working Capital as a percentage of Sales of 19.2%.

The Company’s financial performance includes adjustments referenced in the Company’s fourth quarter 2025 earnings release furnished to the SEC on February 12, 2026. The Company’s financial performance above excludes the performance of any acquisitions consummated during the performance period.

Executive Compensation Practices Highlights

The Executive Compensation Committee is firmly committed to implementing a compensation program that aligns management and stockholder interests, encourages executives to drive sustainable stockholder value creation, and helps retain key personnel. In 2025, the Company received over 92% stockholder support for the Company’s “Say-on-Pay” vote, which the Executive Compensation Committee considers to be among the most important items of feedback about the Company’s executive compensation program. The Company recognizes and rewards its executive officers through compensation arrangements that directly link their pay to the Company’s performance, and the Company ensures a strong alignment of interests with its stockholders by including a significant amount of performance-based compensation in the overall mix of pay. The Company’s pay mix includes base salary, an annual incentive cash bonus plan, and a long-term incentive plan under which the Company grants time-based restricted stock units and performance-based cash and stock units. Key elements of the Company’s pay practices are as follows:

What Curtiss-Wright Does		What Curtiss-Wright Does not Do
• Aligns pay and performance using measures of financial and operating performance including use of relative TSR		• No NEO employment agreements • Does not engage in executive compensation practices that encourage excessive risk
• Balances short-term and long-term incentives using multiple performance measures that focus on profitable top line growth		• No short sales, hedging, or pledging of Curtiss-Wright stock permitted • No reloading, re-pricing or backdating stock options
• Places maximum caps on incentive payout consistent with market competitive practice		• No tax gross-ups on change-in-control benefits for executives
• Establishes rigorous stock ownerships guidelines for NEOs and Board members including a 50% mandatory hold on net shares until ownership guidelines are met for NEOs		• No dividends on unvested or unearned performance units/shares • No excessive perquisites
• Maintains robust “clawback” policies for Incentive Compensation, including the adoption of an incentive compensation clawback policy for Section 16 officers pursuant to Dodd-Frank in the event of certain accounting restatements		• No excessive severance and/or change-in-control provisions
• Uses an independent external compensation consultant to review and advise on executive compensation
• Uses double trigger Change-in-Control Agreements for equity vesting under the Company’s Long Term Incentive Plan

Corporate Sustainability

The Company’s business and operations aligns with the Aerospace and Defense Global Industry Classification Standard. The Company believes that a commitment to positive environmental, social and governance-related (“ESG”) business practices strengthens its operations, increases the Company’s connection with all stakeholders, and helps the Company better serve its customers and the communities in which the Company operates. The Company’s commitment to social responsibility extends to the environment, ethical business practices, trade compliance, responsible sourcing, human rights, cybersecurity, data privacy, human capital management, labor practices and our employees’ health and safety. More information is available within the Sustainability section of the Company’s website at www.curtisswright.com/company/sustainability/. The Company also sees in these commitments additional ways of creating value for the Company’s current and prospective stockholders, employees, customers and other stakeholders. The Company demonstrates its commitments through its corporate social responsibility program (“CSR”). The CSR program outlines the Company’s commitments, guidelines, and policies, which governs the Company’s behavior and its business practices. To better manage the CSR program, the Company created a cross-functional executive-led ESG Council, which meets periodically, and is responsible for updating and promoting the strategies, standards and practices that advance the Company’s CSR performance.

The CSR program consists of three inter-related activity areas that are mutually supportive of each other:

Business Practice

We conduct business in an environmentally conscious, socially responsible and ethical manner, including efforts to mitigate climate change and promote sustainability, while protecting the health and safety of the Company’s workers and community.

• We comply with all applicable environmental, health and safety (EHS) laws and regulations as stated in our Environmental, Health and Safety Values statement available on the Company’s website.

• We track total recordable rate (TRR) and days away, restriction and transfer rate (DART) for all sites worldwide. Our TRR and DART rates for 2025 were 1.22 and 0.71, respectively.

• We encourage environmental and safety certifications for our manufacturing facilities. There are several sites across the Company that maintain certifications to ISO 14001 and/or ISO 45001.

• We conduct third-party EHS audits to verify that we are meeting our regulatory compliance requirements worldwide.

• We are focused on promoting environmental stewardship, introducing innovative processes and technologies, and quantifying our environmental impact to maximize future generations’ ability to live, work, and play in our shared natural environment. In 2023, we transitioned utility bill management to a third party to determine greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in accordance with industry standards and applicable regulatory reporting requirements. In 2024, we disclosed the findings of this initial climate data, including Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emissions, and GHG Emission Intensity, within the “Sustainability” section of the Company’s website. These emissions disclosures are updated annually.

• As an environmentally conscious company, we focus on and support efforts that move towards a zero-waste future by conserving energy and water, minimizing waste and emissions, and promoting recycling and renewable energy to reduce adverse environmental impacts.

• We maintain a company-wide EHS Management System (EHS MS) that details required practices to maintain a proactive risk-based approach to identify and control risks, comply with regulatory requirements, and continuously improve performance. The EHS MS is being implemented in a phased approach and progress is measured and reported to senior leadership via leading indicators. The EHS MS was designed to be consistent with globally recognized ISO health and safety and environment management system requirements.

• We utilize safe technologies, training programs, effective risk management practices, and sound science in our operations to minimize risk to employees.

• The Board reviews our comprehensive EHS program at least annually and receives updates and presentations on key topics, including the Company’s health and safety performance and various emissions disclosures.

Business Practice

We believe an inclusive workforce creates a richer culture, enhances performance, and attracts the best talent.

• Our talented workforce is critical to driving and enabling our Pivot to Growth strategy.

• We build a culture of inclusion with a focus on leadership, eliminating systemic barriers and fostering engagement. We regularly conduct employee engagement pulse surveys to our global workforce concerning our work environments.

• We utilize on-boarding interviews and exit interviews to provide feedback regarding turnover and employee desires for growth and development. These interviews are also utilized to identify drivers of voluntary turnover and departures from the Company to alert us to any issues, as well as to make improvements to the employee experience. Employee turnover rate and reasons, including voluntary and involuntary departures, are monitored annually, and reviewed at regular intervals with the senior leadership team and Board of Directors.

• We promote ongoing career development for employees to encourage innovation and engagement through constructive reviews and various talent/leadership development initiatives. There are KPI dashboards and key check-in processes between management and employees.

• We are committed to maintaining a solid pipeline of talent and developing future leaders throughout our organization, including a New Business Leader program, Engineering Leadership Development Program, Program Management Development Program, SCM Professional Buyer Certification Program, and Succession Planning Program. We have also hosted “Careers in Engineering” nearby our facilities, most recently in the United Kingdom to promote engineering careers for adolescents, and consistently engage with local colleges and universities across our many facilities globally. Through our partnerships with multiple universities and technical colleges, we average 200+ apprentices, co-ops, or interns throughout the year.

• We cultivate technical, domain expertise and collaborative thought leadership for early through advanced career levels through our Technical Fellows program and our Innovation program. These important programs foster our culture of innovation, fuel collaboration across diverse disciplines, and help us attract, mentor, and inspire the next generation of talent. The Technical Fellow Program reinforces our commitment to advanced technical excellence, and both recognizes and celebrates our colleagues who exhibit the pinnacle of Engineering capability and expertise.

• We provide annual training to our global workforce on respect for the individual.

• We offer a tuition reimbursement program for those employees seeking to improve or complete their education consistent with their career paths.

• We are committed to providing a safe and healthy work environment for our global employee base, guided by a strong set of core values and annual training policies outlined in our EHS Policy.

We promote employee wellness.

• We provide our employees and their families with a variety of health and wellness programs such as free annual biometric screening and health assessments at work or offsite, annual free flu shot clinics, a tobacco cessation program, weight management programs and an employee assistance program, which offers advice on mental health, legal and financial issues.

Business Practice

We secure critical data that drives the development of customer solutions and protect the privacy of our employees.

• We comply with all applicable privacy and cybersecurity laws and regulation.

• Our cybersecurity and data protection program includes the deployment of tools and activities designed to prevent, detect, and analyze current and emerging cybersecurity threats, and plans and strategies to address threats and incidents, including any associated with our use of third-party service providers.

• We continually assess industry best practices, frameworks and standards and leverage them to advance our cybersecurity and data protection program’s maturity.

• We employ periodic employee simulated phishing campaigns and perform regular internal/external security audits, vulnerability assessments, and penetration testing of our systems, products and practices affecting user data.

• We conduct annual training programs on data privacy, cybersecurity, and insider threats for all employees and require annual certification that each employee has read our privacy policy.

• Our incident response plan and cybersecurity landscape are tested annually by an external provider.

Community Involvement

We promote the well-being of the communities in which the Company’s employees work and live.

• We encourage employee involvement through charitable donations and volunteer programs.

• We support investment in education by maintaining a Company-sponsored scholarship program for the dependent children of our employees where we fund 90 scholarships awarded to eligible individuals as selected by a third-party provider. Direct reports to the CEO are excluded from this program.

Governance

We maintain the highest ethical standards in interactions with employees, customers, suppliers, competitors, and the general public.

• Our Code of Conduct includes several important provisions on human rights, including prohibitions on human trafficking and the use of child labor or forced, bonded or indentured labor in our operations, as well as compliance with all applicable laws, including environmental.

• We are committed to responsible sourcing of materials for our products by not directly purchasing conflict minerals (tin, tantalum, tungsten, and gold) from the Democratic Republic of Congo and adjoining countries, which are at risk of being mined and sold under the control of armed groups to finance conflict, and not having direct relationships with mines or smelters that process these minerals. Our Conflict Minerals Policy Statement requires our suppliers to support us in monitoring the sourcing of conflict minerals.

• We maintain a strict supplier code of conduct that sets expectations about supplier behavior.

• We are a multi-national organization, and as such, compliance with business ethics, anti-bribery, and trade compliance laws is a key component of our ethics commitment to conduct business lawfully and ethically. Accordingly, we maintain policies and conduct annual global workforce training programs requiring employee certification on ethics and anti-bribery/trade compliance including the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and UK Bribery Act, along with other critical risk areas, and we offer a global, multi-lingual, 24/7 anonymous ethics hotline provided by a third-party provider so employees can report ethical concerns or suspected misconduct without fear of retaliation.

• We conduct EHS and financial audits of our facilities worldwide to ensure compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, and procedures.

• We maintain an Integrated Risk and Compliance program aligned with industry standards and regulatory requirements to support business objectives that integrates uniform risk management principles which are designed to identify, assess, prioritize, address, manage, monitor, and communicate risks across our operations to foster a culture of integrity and risk awareness.

In support of the CSR, the Company maintains the following policies aimed at protecting the environment, health and safety, ethics and compliance with laws, respect for human rights, and supply chain management, all of which are available within the Governance section of the Company’s website at https://curtisswright.com/investor-relations/governance/governance-documents or by sending a request in writing to the Corporate Secretary, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036:

	•	Corporate Social Responsibility
	•	Code of Conduct
	•	Environmental, Health and Safety Values
	•	Curtiss-Wright Corporation Standards for Suppliers: Environmental, Health and Safety, and Labor and Human Resources
	•	Conflict Minerals Policy Statement
	•	California Transparency in Supply Chains Act of 2010
	•	Code of Conduct - Suppliers and Customers
	•	Human Trafficking and Slavery
	•	Anti-Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement 2020

By adhering to the principles contained in the CSR program, the Company enriches the economic, social, and environmental aspects of the communities in which its employees live and work, and provides opportunities to enhance the profitability of the Company as well as benefit the Company’s stockholders, employees, and customers.

CURTISS-WRIGHT CORPORATION

130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036

PROXY STATEMENT

PURPOSE

This Proxy Statement is being furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Directors of Curtiss-Wright Corporation, a Delaware corporation (the “Company”), for use at the annual meeting of stockholders of the Company (the “Annual Meeting”) to be held on Thursday, May 7, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. local time, at the Homewood Suites by Hilton, 125 Harbour Place Drive, Davidson, North Carolina 28036, and at any adjournments or postponements thereof.

INTERNET AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS

Pursuant to the rules adopted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Company is furnishing proxy materials to its stockholders primarily via the internet, rather than mailing paper copies of these materials to each stockholder. On or about March 26, 2026, the Company will mail to each stockholder of record as of March 13, 2026 (other than those stockholders who previously had requested paper delivery of proxy materials) a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials containing instructions on how to access and review the proxy materials, including a notice and Proxy Statement and the Company’s combined Business Review/2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC. The Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials also contains instructions on how to request a paper copy of the proxy materials. If you received a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials by mail, you will not receive a paper copy of the proxy materials unless you request one. If you would like to receive a paper copy of the proxy materials, please follow the instructions included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. You can also choose to receive future proxy materials by email by following the instructions included in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. This will help the Company reduce the environmental impact and costs of printing and distributing paper copies and improve the speed and efficiency by which the Company’s stockholders can access these materials. If you choose to receive future proxy materials by email, you will receive an email next year with instructions containing a link to those materials and a link to the proxy-voting site. Your election to receive proxy materials by email will remain in effect until you revoke it. The Company may at its discretion voluntarily choose to mail or deliver a paper copy of the proxy materials, including a Notice and Proxy Statement and the combined Business Review/2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K filed with the SEC, to one or more stockholders.

INFORMATION CONCERNING THE ANNUAL MEETING

Mailing and Solicitation. A Notice and Proxy Statement and combined Business Review/2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K and accompanying form of proxy card attached hereto are being distributed or made available via the internet to the Company’s stockholders on or about March 26, 2026. For information about stockholders’ eligibility to vote at the Annual Meeting, please see “Record Date and Outstanding Stock” below. The Company will pay the cost of the solicitation of proxies. The solicitation is to be made primarily by mail but may be supplemented by telephone calls and personal solicitation by officers and other employees of the Company. The Company will reimburse banks and nominees for their expenses in forwarding proxy materials to the Company’s beneficial owners.

Proxies. Whether or not you plan to attend the Annual Meeting, the Company requests that you vote prior to the Annual Meeting: (i) via the internet, by following the instructions provided in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, (ii) via telephone, by following the instructions provided in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, or (iii) via mail, by completing, signing, dating and mailing a paper proxy card in a postage-paid return envelope, which a stockholder can request as outlined in the Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. A control number, contained in the

Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, is designed to verify your identity, and allow you to vote your shares, and confirm that your voting instructions have been properly recorded.

If your shares are registered directly in your name, you are the holder of record of these shares and the Company is sending a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials directly to you. As the holder of record, you have the right to vote by one of the three ways mentioned above or in person at the Annual Meeting. If your shares are held in “street name”, your bank, broker, or other nominee will send to you a Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. As a holder in street name, you have the right to direct your bank, broker, or other nominee how to vote by submitting voting instructions in the manner directed by your bank, broker, or other nominee. If you hold shares in street name and you wish to vote in person at the Annual Meeting, you must obtain a proxy issued in your name from your bank, broker, or other nominee and bring that proxy to the Annual Meeting.

Broker non-votes. Under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”), a bank, broker, or other nominee who holds shares in “street name” for customers is precluded from exercising voting discretion with respect to the approval of non-routine matters (so called “broker non-votes”) in the absence of specific instructions from such customers. The (1) election of Directors (see Proposal One) and (2) advisory (non-binding) vote to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers (See Proposal Three), are considered “non-routine” matters under applicable NYSE rules. Therefore, a bank, broker, or other nominee is not entitled to vote the shares of Company common stock unless the beneficial owner has given instructions. As such, there may be broker non-votes with respect to these proposals. On the other hand, the ratification of the appointment of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2026 (see Proposal Two) is considered a “routine” matter under applicable NYSE rules. Therefore, a bank, broker, or other nominee will have discretionary authority to vote the shares of Company common stock if the beneficial owner has not given instructions and no broker non-votes will occur with respect to this proposal.

Voting In Accordance With Instructions. The shares represented by your properly submitted proxy received by mail, telephone, Internet, or in person will be voted in accordance with your instructions. If you are a registered holder and you do not specify in your properly submitted proxy how the shares represented thereby are to be voted, your shares will be voted:

	(1)	“FOR” the election as Directors of the nominees proposed (see Proposal One),

	(2)	“FOR” the ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP as the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm for 2026 (see Proposal Two), and

	(3)	“FOR” the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers under the proposal regarding the advisory (non-binding) vote to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers (see Proposal Three).

If your shares are held in street name and you do not specify how the shares represented thereby are to be voted, your bank, broker, or other nominee may exercise its discretionary authority to vote on Proposal Two only.

The Board of Directors is not aware of any other matters to be presented for action at the Annual Meeting, but if other matters are properly brought before the Annual Meeting, shares represented by properly completed proxies received by mail, telephone, internet, or in person will be voted in accordance with the judgment of the persons named as proxies.

Signatures in Certain Cases. If a stockholder is a corporation or unincorporated entity such as a partnership or limited liability company, the enclosed proxy should be signed in its corporate or other entity name by an authorized officer or person and his or her title should be indicated. If shares are registered in the name of two or more trustees or other persons, the proxy must be signed by a majority of them. If shares are registered in the name of a decedent, the proxy should be signed by the executor or administrator and his or her title should follow the signature.

Revocation of Proxies. Whether the proxy is submitted via the internet, telephone, or mail, stockholders have the right to revoke their proxies at any time before a vote is taken. If your shares are registered in your name, you may revoke your proxy (1) by notifying the Corporate Secretary of the Company in writing at the Company’s address given above, (2) by executing a new proxy bearing a

later date or by submitting a new proxy by telephone or the internet on a later date, provided the new proxy is received by Broadridge Financial Solutions Inc. before the vote, (3) by attending the Annual Meeting and voting in person, or (4) by any other method available to stockholders by law. If your shares are held in street name, you should contact the record holder to obtain instructions if you wish to revoke your vote before the Annual Meeting.

Record Date and Outstanding Stock. The close of business on March 13, 2026 has been fixed as the record date of the Annual Meeting, and only stockholders of record at that time will be entitled to vote. The only capital stock of the Company issued and outstanding is the common stock, par value $1.00 per share (the “Common Stock”). As of March 13, 2026, there were 36,907,171 shares of Common Stock issued and outstanding constituting all the capital stock of the Company entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting. Each stockholder is entitled to one vote for each share of Common Stock held.

Quorum. The presence, in person or by properly executed proxy, of the holders of a majority of the issued and outstanding shares of Common Stock entitled to vote at the Annual Meeting is necessary to constitute a quorum at the Annual Meeting.

Required Vote.

Election of Directors: A plurality of the Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy (and eligible to vote), at a meeting in which a quorum is present. This means that a person will be elected who receives the first through ninth highest number of votes, even if he or she receives less than a majority of the votes cast. However, under our corporate governance guidelines, in an uncontested election where the only nominees are those recommended by the Board, any nominee for director who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his or her election than votes “for” his or her election is required to tender his or her resignation following certification of the stockholder vote. The Committee on Directors and Governance is required to make recommendations to the Board with respect to any such letter of resignation. The Board is required to take action with respect to this recommendation and to disclose their decision-making process. Full details of this policy are set out under “Proposal One: Election of Directors” on page 12 of this Proxy Statement.

Ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP: The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy (and eligible to vote), at a meeting in which a quorum is present. This means that of the shares represented at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote, a majority of them must be voted “for” this proposal for it to be approved.

Advisory (non-binding vote) to approve the compensation of the Company’s named executive officers: The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares of Common Stock present in person or represented by proxy (and eligible to vote), at a meeting in which a quorum is present. This means that of the shares represented at the Annual Meeting and entitled to vote, a majority of them must be voted “for” this proposal for it to be approved.

Effect of Withhold Authority Votes, Abstentions and Broker Non-Votes.

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law (under which Curtiss-Wright Corporation is incorporated), an abstaining vote and a broker non-vote are counted as present and eligible to vote at the Annual Meeting and are, therefore, included for purposes of determining whether a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting.

With respect to election of directors (see Proposal One), if you “withhold” authority to vote with respect to one or more director nominees, your shares will not be voted and will have no effect on the election of such nominees because, under plurality voting rules, the nine director nominees receiving the highest number of “for” votes will be elected. A “withhold” vote is not considered a vote cast in director elections. Broker non-votes will have no effect on the election of the nominees.

With respect to the ratification of Deloitte & Touche LLP (see Proposal Two), if you “abstain” from voting with respect to this Proposal, your vote will have the same effect as a vote “against” the Proposal. A bank, broker, or other nominee may exercise discretion to vote shares as to which instructions are not given on this Proposal and accordingly, no “broker non-votes” will occur with respect to this Proposal.

With respect to the advisory vote to approve executive compensation (see Proposal Three), if you “abstain” from voting with respect to this Proposal, your vote will have the same effect as a vote “against” such Proposal. Broker non-votes will not be counted as having voted either for or against this Proposal.

Dissenter’s Rights of Appraisal. The stockholders have no dissenter’s rights of appraisal under the Delaware General Corporation Law, the Company’s Restated Certificate of Incorporation, or the Company’s Amended and Restated By-Laws with respect to the matters to be voted on at the Annual Meeting.

PROPOSAL ONE: ELECTION OF DIRECTORS

General Information

At the date of this Proxy Statement, the Board of Directors of the Company (the “Board” or “Board of Directors”) consists of nine members, eight of whom are non-employee Directors. The number of members of the Board is currently fixed to nine individuals. However, Dean M. Flatt, who is presently a Director of the Company, has advised the Board of his decision to retire from the Board with more than 13 years of service. Mr. Flatt’s term will expire prior to the Annual Meeting. Mr. Flatt served on the Board with great distinction.

The Committee on Directors and Governance of the Board of Directors has recommended, and our full Board of Directors has nominated Lynn M. Bamford, Bruce D. Hoechner, Glenda J. Minor, Anthony J. Moraco, William F. Moran, Robert J. Rivet, Peter C. Wallace, and Larry D. Wyche, each currently serving Directors, to be elected to the Board for a one-year term. In addition, the Committee on Directors and Governance of the Board has recommended, and our full Board has also nominated Jeffrey J. Lyash to be elected to the Board for a one-year term. Mr. Lyash is not currently serving as a Director of the Company and has never served in such capacity for the Company in the past. The Committee on Directors and Governance used the services of a third-party executive search firm to assist in identifying and evaluating Mr. Lyash as a nominee for Director. In the event that any nominee should become unavailable for election, the persons named in the proxy may vote for the election of a substitute nominee.

Directors will be elected by a plurality of votes properly cast (in person or by proxy) at the Annual Meeting. This means that a person will be elected who receives the first through ninth highest number of votes, even if he or she receives less than a majority of the votes cast. Therefore, stockholders who do not vote or withhold their vote from one or more of the proposed nominees and do not vote for another person, will not affect the outcome of the election provided that a quorum is present at the Annual Meeting. However, under our corporate governance guidelines, in an uncontested election of Directors where the only nominees are those recommended by the Board (which is the case for the election of Directors at this Annual Meeting), any nominee for director who receives a greater number of votes “withheld” from his or her election than votes “for” his or her election (a “Majority Withheld Vote”) is required to tender his or her resignation following certification of the stockholder vote. The Committee on Directors and Governance must promptly consider the resignation offer and a range of possible responses based on the circumstances that led to the Majority Withheld Vote, if known, and make a recommendation to the Board. The Board will act on the Committee on Directors and Governance recommendation within 90 days following certification of the stockholder vote. Thereafter, the Board will promptly disclose its decision-making process and decision regarding whether to accept the Director’s resignation (or the reason(s) for rejecting the resignation offer, if applicable) in a Form 8-K filed with the SEC. Any Director who tenders his or her resignation pursuant to this provision will not participate in the Committee on Directors and Governance recommendation or the Board action regarding whether to accept or reject the resignation offer.

As further discussed in the section titled “Broker non-votes” on page 10 of this Proxy Statement, if you own shares of Common Stock through a bank, broker or other holder of record, you must instruct your bank, broker, or other holder of record how to vote in order for them to vote your shares of Common Stock so that your vote can be counted on this Proposal One.

Overview of Curtiss-Wright’s Current Board of Directors

The Board believes there are general requirements for service as a member of the Board that are applicable to all directors as laid out below, and other specialized characteristics that should be represented on the Board as a whole but not necessarily by each director. The specific qualifications, skills, experiences, and backgrounds of our director nominees are detailed in the section titled “Director Nominee Skills” on page 13 of this Proxy Statement.

Our Directors Exhibit:

Board Composition:

High integrity

Loyalty to the Company and commitment to its success

Proven record of success

Knowledge of corporate governance and practices

Independent Directors: 8 of 9

Average Company Board Tenure: 8 years

Average Age: 68 years

Gender, race, or

ethnicity: 2 Female (one is African American)

1 Male African American

Our Directors Bring to the Boardroom:

High level of leadership experience

Specialized industry experience

Financial expertise

Extensive knowledge of the Company

The Company has added five new directors since 2019. This refreshment process has infused unique ideas and fresh perspectives into the boardroom.

Director Nominee Skills

The Company’s director nominees have substantial leadership, management, and industry experience and expertise in various fields. This balance of experience and background of our director nominees, illustrated in the skills matrix and director nominees’ biographies that follow, is brought to bear in Board deliberations, during which multiple perspectives are considered in developing dynamic solutions to achieve the Company’s strategic priorities to reduce complexity, drive returns, and advance sustainably.

The skills matrix below summarizes the specific qualifications, skills, experiences, and backgrounds of each director nominee. While each director nominee is generally knowledgeable in each of these areas, an “X” in the skills matrix below indicates that the item is a specific qualification, skill, experience or attribute that the director nominee brings to the Board. The lack of an “X” for a particular item does not mean that the director nominee does not possess that qualification, skill, experience or attribute. Because the skills matrix is only a summary, it does not include all the skills that each director nominee offers.

	Skills
Director Nominee	Audit Committee Financial Expert	Extensive Knowledge of Company’s Business and Industry	Extensive M&A Experience	Broad International Experience	Other Public Company Board Experience	Current or Former CEO	Senior Leadership Experience	Gender/Ethnic/ Race Diversity (a)
Lynn M. Bamford		X	X	X		X	X	X
Bruce D. Hoechner		X	X	X	X	X	X
Jeffrey J. Lyash		X	X	X	X	X	X
Glenda J. Minor	X	X	X	X	X		X	X
Anthony J. Moraco		X	X		X	X	X
William F. Moran		X					X
Robert J. Rivet	X	X	X	X	X		X
Peter C. Wallace		X	X	X	X	X	X
Larry D. Wyche		X					X	X

(a)	Self-identifies as having diverse characteristics (gender, ethnicity, or race).

The Company also recognizes the value of other attributes that directors may bring to the Board, including veterans of the U.S. military. The Company is proud to report that of our nine director nominees, two are also military veterans with over 73 years of combined service.

Information Regarding Nominees

Set forth below is information with respect to the nominees for Directors. Such information includes the principal occupation of each nominee for Director during, at least, the past five years, as well as a brief description of the particular experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that qualify the nominee to serve as a Director of the Company.

Lynn M. Bamford

Chair and Chief Executive Officer

Curtiss-Wright Corporation

Age: 62

Director Since: 2021

Other Public Company Directorships:

None

Career Highlights:

Ms. Bamford has served as Chair of the Board of Directors of the Company since May 2022 and Chief Executive Officer of the Company since January 1, 2021. She has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Company since January 1, 2021. She also formerly held the title of President of the Company from January 1, 2021 to May 5, 2022. She also served as President of the Company’s former Defense and Power Segments from January 2020 and served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s Defense Solutions and Nuclear divisions from 2018, and Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s Defense Solutions division from 2013. Shortly after joining the Company in 2004, she assumed the position of Vice President, Product Development and Marketing, for the Company’s former Controls segment, and ascended to Vice President and General Manager of the Company’s Embedded Computing business.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Ms. Bamford has been an employee of the Company for more than 21 years, serving in increasing levels of strategic, operational, and managerial responsibility. Ms. Bamford’s ability to grow the Company’s former Defense and Power segments, as evidenced by the strong growth in these segments during her leadership, and in-depth knowledge of all the Company’s business segments and industries in which they operate, provides the Company a competitive advantage in continuing to improve long-term performance and increase stockholder value.

Bruce D. Hoechner

Retired President and Chief Executive Officer

Rogers Corporation

Age: 66

Director Since: 2017

Committees: Finance (Chair); Committee on Directors and Governance

Other Public Company Directorships:

Ingevity Corporation (2023 – present)

Rogers Corporation (2011 – 2023)

Career Highlights:

Mr. Hoechner served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Rogers Corporation, a NYSE-listed company from October 2011 until his retirement on December 31, 2022. He also served as a member of the Board of Directors of Rogers Corporation until retirement from such Board on March 31, 2023. Rogers Corporation is a leading global provider of engineered materials and components for mission critical applications serving telecommunications, automotive, defense and aerospace, and consumer markets. Mr. Hoechner also serves as a director of Ingevity Corporation since February 2023. Ingevity is a leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals. From October 2009 to October 2011, Mr. Hoechner served as President, Asia Pacific region, based in Shanghai, China, for Dow Chemical Company, a global diversified chemical and material company, and before that held positions of increasing responsibility in the U.S. and internationally during his 27-year career with Rohm and Haas Company, a leading manufacturer of specialty chemicals, which was purchased by Dow.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Mr. Hoechner has many years of broad leadership experience across numerous geographies, businesses, and functions with particularly strong international experience at leading multinational organizations. In his prior capacity as CEO and President of Rogers Corporation, Mr. Hoechner led a business transformation that significantly improved revenues and profitability, and resulted in a substantial increase in the company’s market cap. Mr. Hoechner brings to our Board international executive experience in technology manufacturing, with relevant industry exposure, as well as extensive strategic and financial acumen, which enhances Mr. Hoechner’s contributions and value to the Company’s Board.

Jeffrey J. Lyash

Retired President and Chief Executive Officer

Tennessee Valley Authority

Age: 63

Director Since: N/A

Committees: N/A

Other Public Company Directorships:

Dominion Energy, Inc. (2025 – present)

Granite Construction Incorporated (2018 – 2023)

Career Highlights:

Mr. Lyash served as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Tennessee Valley Authority from April 2019 until his retirement in April 2025. The Tennessee Valley Authority is a corporate agency of the United States that provides electricity for business customers and local power companies and serves 10 million people in seven Southeastern states. From 2015 to March 2019, Mr. Lyash served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Ontario Power Generation, which is Ontario, Canada’s, largest, low-carbon electricity generator. From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Lyash served as President of CB&I Power, a leading power industry engineering and construction firm. Prior to this, Mr. Lyash served in senior leadership roles in leading energy companies in the United States, including Executive Vice President of Energy Supply for Duke Energy and its predecessor Progress Energy, and President and Chief Executive Officer of Progress Energy Florida. Mr. Lyash began his energy sector career at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission, where he served in senior technical and management positions. Mr. Lyash is a member of the Board of Directors of Dominion Energy, Inc., a leading electricity supplier and a member of the Board of Directors of Aecon Group Inc., a company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange that develops and manufactures large-scale infrastructure projects in sectors like nuclear, utilities, industrial, and transportation. Mr. Lyash also formerly served as a director of Granite Construction Incorporated, a civil construction company and aggregate producer. Mr. Lyash is certified by both the National Association of Corporate Directors and the Institute of Corporate Directors.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Mr. Lyash’s extensive managerial experience and his understanding of the power industry after more than four decades in utility operations, power operations and generation construction, and public policy and regulatory matters (particularly in nuclear energy), provide the Company a competitive advantage in seeking new strategic business opportunities and platforms for its power generation industry products and services.

Glenda J. Minor

Chief Executive Officer and Principal

Silket Advisory Services

Age: 69

Director Since: 2019

Committees: Audit; Committee on Directors and Governance

Other Public Company Directorships:

Albermarle Corporation (2019 – present)

Kaiser Aluminum Corporation (2025 – present)

Radius Recycling, Inc. f/n/a Schnitzer Steel Industries, Inc. (2020 – 2025)

Career Highlights:

Ms. Minor has served as Chief Executive Officer and Principal of Silket Advisory Services, a privately owned consulting firm, since 2016. Silket Advisory Services advises companies on financial, strategic, and operational initiatives. From 2010 – 2015, Ms. Minor was Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of Evraz North America Limited, a leading steel manufacturer. Prior to this, Ms. Minor held both domestic and international executive finance roles at increasing levels of managerial responsibility at Visteon Corporation, a leading global automotive supplier, and DaimlerChrysler, a leading global automotive manufacturer, as well as financial management roles at General Motors Corporation, a leading global automotive manufacturer, and General Dynamics Corporation, a leading global aerospace and defense company. Ms. Minor currently serves on the Board of Directors of Albemarle Corporation, a leading global specialty chemical company; Kaiser Aluminum Corporation, a leading provider of semi-fabricated specialty aluminum mill products; and the Capital Area United Way, a non-profit organization, where she serves as the Board Secretary. Ms. Minor has previously served on the board of Radius Recycling, Inc. and several other non-profit organizations.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Ms. Minor has many years of broad financial and international leadership experience across different industries and different continents, which have provided her with an in-depth understanding of the preparation and analysis of financial statements, and invaluable experience in capital market transactions, accounting, treasury, investor relations, financial and strategic planning, and business expansion. She is also financially literate in accordance with NYSE listing standards and an “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with SEC regulations. Ms. Minor’s extensive financial knowledge will be an invaluable asset to the Board in its oversight of the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and the financial reporting process. Additionally, Ms. Minor’s experience in mergers and acquisitions and business expansion provides the Company a competitive advantage in seeking new strategic business opportunities and platforms for its products and services.

Anthony J. Moraco

Retired Chief Executive Officer and former Director

Science Applications International Corporation

Age: 66

Director Since: 2021

Committees: Executive Compensation; Finance

Other Public Company Directorships:

None

Career Highlights:

Mr. Moraco served as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Board of Directors of Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), a NYSE-listed company, from September 2013 to July 2019, after its separation from its former parent Leidos Holdings, Inc. SAIC is a leading provider of technical, engineering, and enterprise information technology (IT) solutions and services primarily to the U.S. government. Prior to this time, he served in various leadership positions at Leidos (legacy SAIC), including serving as President of its Government Solutions Group in 2013, as Group President of its Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance organization from 2012 to 2013, as its Executive Vice President for Operations and Performance Excellence from 2010 to 2012, and as Senior Vice President and General Manager of its Space and Geospatial Intelligence Business Unit from 2007 to 2010. Leidos is a leading science, engineering and IT company that provides services and solutions in the defense, intelligence, civil and health markets. Mr. Moraco currently serves on the Board of Directors of privately-held Radiance Technologies, Inc., a leader in advanced engineering solutions serving the U.S. defense and intelligence communities.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Mr. Moraco has an in-depth understanding of the aerospace and defense industry, evidenced by his past employment at SAIC and Leidos, as well as his previous leadership roles at the Boeing Company Space & Intelligence Mission Systems and Phantom Works (2000-2006). In addition, Mr. Moraco has extensive experience in U.S. government contracting. Mr. Moraco’s market knowledge, leadership skills, financial acumen, and operational management ability proven during his tenure as CEO of SAIC and as an executive of Leidos, along with his prior public company board experience, enhances Mr. Moraco’s contributions and value to the Company’s Board.

Admiral (Ret.) William F. Moran

President

WFM Advisors, LLC

Age: 67

Director Since: 2023

Committees: Executive Compensation; Finance

Other Public Company Directorships:

None

Career Highlights:

Admiral Moran has served at WFM Advisors, LLC, a privately-owned consulting firm, since 2019. WFM Advisors advises companies in the areas of Aerospace and Defense, training and education, artificial intelligence and technology. Prior to this, Admiral Moran had a long, distinguished career in the U.S. Navy serving at various times in increased senior leadership positions. From 2016 to 2019, he served as Vice Chief of Naval Operations; from 2013 to 2016, he served as Chief of Naval Personnel; from 2010 to 2013, he served as Director of Air Warfare; and from 1981 to 2010 he held various other leadership roles. Admiral Moran currently serves on the Board of Directors of USAA, and also serves on its audit and compensation and workforce committees. USAA is a Fortune 500 diversified financial services group of companies offering banking and insurance to people and families who serve, or served, in the United States Armed Forces.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Admiral Moran has many years of broad leadership and operational experience while serving in the U.S. Navy. He is familiar with financial management, leadership development, operations, and strategic planning. This experience, coupled with an in-depth understanding of the U.S. Navy’s operational needs and U.S. government contracting and spending, provides the Company a competitive advantage in developing new operational leaders and new strategic business opportunities and platforms for its naval defense business’ products and services.

Robert J. Rivet

Retired Executive Vice President, Chief Operations and Administrative Officer

Advanced Micro Devices, Inc.

Age: 72

Director Since: 2011

Committees: Audit (Chair); Executive Compensation

Other Public Company Directorships:

None

Career Highlights:

Mr. Rivet served as Executive Vice President, Chief Operations and Administrative Officer of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc., a leading global semiconductor company, from October 2008 to February 2011, and has served as Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. from September 2000 until October 2009. From 2009 to 2011, he also served as a Director of GlobalFoundries Inc., a semiconductor foundry. Prior to this, Mr. Rivet was senior Vice President at Motorola, a leading communication and semiconductor manufacturer in executive finance roles both domestically and internationally, which included a three-year assignment in Geneva, Switzerland, as the European Semiconductor CFO. Mr. Rivet has served as Lead Independent Director since May 2024, with his most recent re-election occurring in February 2026 for a term of one-year or until his successor is appointed.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Mr. Rivet has 35 years of broad financial and international leadership experience across different technology industries, which has provided him an in-depth understanding of the preparation and analysis of financial statements, and an in depth understanding of our supply chain, including nine years as Chief Financial Officer of Advanced Micro Devices. In addition, Mr. Rivet led numerous acquisitions, divestitures, and capital market activities while at Advanced Micro Devices. He is also financially literate in accordance with NYSE listing standards and an “audit committee financial expert” in accordance with SEC regulations. Mr. Rivet’s extensive financial knowledge will be an invaluable asset to the Board providing comprehensive oversight over the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and the financial reporting process. Additionally, his in-depth understanding of high-technology industries such as the semiconductor business, and experience in mergers, acquisitions, and capital markets provides the Company a competitive advantage in addressing supply chain issues and seeking new strategic business opportunities and acquisitions.

Peter C. Wallace

Retired Chief Executive Officer and former Director

Gardner Denver

Age: 71

Director Since: 2016

Committees: Committee on Directors and Governance (Chair); Finance

Other Public Company Directorships:

Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc. (2005 – present)

Rogers Corporation (2010 – present)

Career Highlights:

Mr. Wallace served as Chief Executive Officer and a Director of Gardner Denver Inc. from June 2014 until his retirement as of January 1, 2016. Gardner Denver (now merged with Ingersoll Rand’s Industrial segment and renamed Ingersoll Rand Inc.) is an industrial manufacturer of compressors, blowers, pumps, and other fluid control products used in numerous global end markets. Prior to joining Gardner Denver, Mr. Wallace was President and Chief Executive Officer, and a Director, of Robbins & Myers, Inc., from 2004 until it was acquired in February 2013 by National Oilwell Varco, Inc. Robbins & Myers was a leading designer, manufacturer, and marketer of highly engineered, application-critical equipment and systems for energy, chemical, pharmaceutical, and industrial markets worldwide. Mr. Wallace is also non-executive Chairman of the Board of Applied Industrial Technologies, Inc., a leading provider of industrial products and fluid power components, and a member of the Board of Rogers Corporation, a leading provider of engineered materials and components for mission critical applications across various markets (Mr. Wallace will be retiring from the Board of Rogers Corporation in May 2026). Mr. Wallace also serves on the board of a private manufacturing firm engaged in packaging equipment and industrial markets.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Mr. Wallace has a wide and varied background as a senior executive, including having served as CEO of several leading companies in global industrial equipment manufacturing, serving a wide range of end markets, including aerospace, energy, and industrial. During his career, Mr. Wallace transformed businesses by developing clear strategies that included acquiring and merging companies, along with divestitures to free up resources that could be redeployed to create long-term shareholder value. He also led major organization changes, and in doing so recruited top talent and developed others in key areas, including strategic account planning, key account management, lean implementation, and facility rationalization, to improve profitability. Mr. Wallace has extensive experience in evaluating business opportunities and management teams as he has been engaged by several private equity firms to evaluate business plans. He has been a senior advisor to private equity firms, and has served as CEO of a private equity backed portfolio company. Mr. Wallace brings to the Board the perspective of someone familiar with all facets of worldwide business operations, including the experience of leading a NYSE-listed company. This broad and extensive experience in senior leadership roles, including his board experience in both public and private companies, and experience in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures, provides the Company a competitive advantage in creating long-term shareholder value and seeking new strategic business opportunities and acquisitions.

Lieutenant General (Ret.) Larry D. Wyche

Chief Executive Officer

Wyche Leadership and Supply Chain Consulting

Age: 68

Director Since: 2023

Committees: Audit; Committee on Directors and Governance

Other Public Company Directorships:

None

Career Highlights:

Lt. Gen. Wyche serves as Chief Executive Officer of Wyche Leadership and Supply Chain Consulting, a privately-owned consulting firm, since 2017. Prior to this, Lt. Gen. Wyche had a long, distinguished career in the U.S. Army serving at various times in increased senior leadership positions. From 2015 to 2017, he served as Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Materiel Command; from 2012 to 2014, he served as Commanding General, Combined Arms Support Command; from 2010 to 2012, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, U.S. Army Materiel Command; from 2008 to 2010, he served as Commanding General, Joint Munitions Command; and from 2002 to 2008, he completed two tours at the Pentagon serving as Director for Supply Chain Strategy & Integration, and Chief of Supply Chain & Logistics Programs. He currently serves as a Director at Ready One Industries, a non-profit organization, and as an Advisory Council Member for Texas A&M University – Corpus Christi.

Reasons for Election to the Board of Curtiss-Wright:

Lt. Gen. Wyche has many years of broad leadership and operational experience while serving in the U.S. Army. He is familiar with the U.S. military supply chain, emerging technologies, cyber assurance, human capital management, financial management, operations, and strategic planning. This experience, coupled with an in-depth understanding of U.S. government acquisition, contracting and spending, especially defense and defense products, provides the Company a competitive advantage in addressing supply chain issues, cyber threats, and workforce matters, as well as seeking new strategic business opportunities and platforms for the Company’s defense industry products and services.

Family Relationships

There are no family relationships between any of the Company’s Directors, executive officers, or persons nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director or executive officer.

Certain Legal Proceedings

None of the Company’s Directors, executive officers, or persons nominated or chosen by the Company to become a director has been, during the past ten years: (i) involved in any bankruptcy petition filed by or against such person or any business of which such person was a general partner or executive officer, either at the time of the bankruptcy or within two years prior to that time; (ii) convicted of any criminal proceeding or subject to a pending criminal proceeding (excluding traffic violations and other minor offenses); (iii) subject to any order, judgment, or decree, not subsequently reversed, suspended, or vacated, of any court of competent jurisdiction or Federal or State authority, permanently or temporarily enjoined, barred, suspended, or otherwise limited from involvement in any type of business, securities, futures, commodities, or banking activities; (iv) found by a court of competent jurisdiction (in a civil action), the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the Commodity Futures Trading Commission to have violated a federal or state securities or commodities law, and the judgment has not been reversed, suspended, or vacated; (v) subject of, or a party to, any Federal or State judicial or administrative order, judgment, decree, or finding, not subsequently reversed, suspended, or vacated, related to an alleged violation of securities or commodities law or regulation; any law or regulation respecting financial institutions or insurance companies; or any law or regulation prohibiting mail or wire fraud or fraud in connection with any business entity; or (vi) the subject of, or a party to, any sanction or order, not subsequently reversed, suspended, or vacated, of any self-regulatory organization, any registered entity of the Commodity Exchange Act or any equivalent exchange, association, entity, or organization that has disciplinary authority over its members or persons associated with a member.

Compensation of Directors

For information concerning compensation of our Directors, please see “Compensation of Directors” on page 75 of this Proxy Statement.

RECOMMENDATION OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS UNANIMOUSLY RECOMMENDS THAT
STOCKHOLDERS VOTE “FOR ALL” OF THE COMPANY’S DIRECTOR
NOMINEES LISTED ABOVE (PROPOSAL 1).

STRUCTURE AND PRACTICES OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Corporate Governance Guidelines and Code of Conduct

The Board of Directors has adopted corporate governance guidelines that provide the framework for the governance of the Company and contains a code of conduct that applies to every Director. The corporate governance guidelines are available within the Corporate Governance section of the Company’s website at https://curtisswright.com/investor-relations/governance/governance-documents or by sending a request in writing to the Corporate Secretary, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036.

The corporate governance guidelines address, among other things, standards for Director independence, meetings of the Board, executive sessions of the Board, committees of the Board, the compensation of Directors, duties of Directors to the Company and its stockholders, and the Board’s role in management succession, and includes policies on, among other things, conflicts of interest, corporate opportunities, and insider trading. The Committee on Directors and Governance reviews these principles and other aspects of governance at least annually and it is amended as the Board deems appropriate upon the recommendation of the Committee on Directors and Governance for

updates in response to changing regulatory requirements, as business circumstances warrant, and to reflect evolving best practices.

The Company also maintains a code of conduct that applies to every employee, including the Company’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Corporate Controller. The Company’s code of conduct includes policies on, among other things, employment, conflicts of interest, financial reporting, the protection of confidential information, insider trading and hedging, and requires strict adherence to all laws and regulations applicable to the conduct of the Company’s business. The Company’s code of conduct is available within the Corporate Governance section of the Company’s website at https://curtisswright.com/investor-relations/governance/governance-documents or by sending a request in writing to the Corporate Secretary, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036. The Company reviews the code of conduct at least annually and it is amended as appropriate for updates to changing regulatory requirements and as business circumstances warrant.

The Company designed the corporate governance guidelines and the code of conduct to ensure that its business is conducted in a consistently legal and ethical manner. The Company will disclose any waivers or amendments of the codes of conduct pertaining to Directors or the Company’s Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Corporate Controller on its website at www.curtisswright.com in accordance with applicable law and the requirements of the NYSE corporate governance standards. To date, no waivers have been requested or granted and no amendments have been made requiring disclosure.

To enhance understanding of and compliance with the Company’s code of conduct, the Company has undertaken several additional steps. Through a third-party provider, the Company conducts an annual on-line global workforce training program in multiple languages that is circulated to all employees to enhance the Company’s culture of ethical business practices. In addition, although all employees are encouraged to personally report any ethical concerns without fear of retaliation, the Company, through a third-party provider, maintains the Company’s Hotline (the “Hotline”) to allow employees to report concerns they are uncomfortable discussing directly with managers or human resources personnel. The Hotline is a global, multi-lingual, toll-free telephone and web-based system through which employees may report concerns confidentially and anonymously and is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The Hotline also serves as the vehicle through which employees may communicate with the Audit Committee confidentially and anonymously regarding any accounting, internal controls, or auditing concerns.

The Company continually assesses its ethics program, including training opportunities, and modifies as appropriate. The Company’s managers and supervisors play an important role in reinforcing the Company’s policies and commitment to ethics by setting the example of ethical conduct and providing employees with continuous training, education and resources that support the policies.

Meetings of the Board

The Board has regularly scheduled meetings each year, and also holds special meetings and acts by written consent from time to time as necessary. In addition, management and the Directors communicate informally on a variety of topics, including suggestions for Board or committee agenda items, recent developments, and other matters of interest to the Directors. Each Director has full access to management.

A meeting of the Company’s non-employee Directors in executive session without any employee Directors or members of management present is scheduled at every regularly scheduled Board and Committee meeting. During 2025, the non-employee Directors met at least six times in executive session. The Committees of the Board may also meet in executive session at the end of each Committee meeting. Robert J. Rivet has served as Lead Independent Director since May 2024, with his most recent re-election occuring in February 2026 for a term of one year or until his successor is appointed. The Lead Independent Director reviews the agenda items from the meeting with all non-employee Directors and leads discussions with the independent Board members and coordinates follow up discussions with management. For a further discussion on the position of Lead Independent

Director, please read the section titled “Board Leadership Structure” beginning on page 30 of this Proxy Statement.

Directors are expected to attend all meetings of the Board and each committee on which they serve. In 2025, the Board held seven meetings and committees of the Board held a total of 17 meetings. During 2025, no Director attended less than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board of Directors and of the committee or committees on which he or she served, during the period that he or she served.

The Company does not have a formal policy with respect to Director attendance at the annual meeting of stockholders. Directors are encouraged to attend the annual meeting of stockholders, although such attendance is not mandatory. Lynn M. Bamford, the Company’s Chair and Chief Executive Officer, attended the Company’s 2025 annual meeting of stockholders. Ms. Bamford will attend the Company’s 2026 annual meeting of stockholders where she will be available for questions.

Communication with the Board

The Company believes communications between the Board and the Company’s stockholders, employees, and other interested parties is an important part of the corporate governance process. Stockholders, employees, and other interested parties wishing to contact the Board directly may initiate in writing any communication with: (i) the Board, (ii) any committee of the Board, (iii) the non-employee Directors as a group, or (iv) any individual non-employee Director by sending the communication to Lead Independent Director, c/o Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036. The name of any specific intended Board recipient should be noted in the communication. Prior to forwarding any correspondence, the Lead Independent Director will review such correspondence. Any communications received by the Lead Independent Director regarding concerns relating to accounting, internal controls or auditing matters will promptly be brought to the attention of the Audit Committee and will be handled in accordance with the procedures established by the Audit Committee to address these matters. However, the Lead Independent Director, in his or her discretion, will not forward certain items if they are deemed inappropriate for submission, including, without limitation, solicitations, commercial advertisements, communications that do not relate directly or indirectly to the Company’s business or that relate to improper or irrelevant topics, or are sent in bad faith. Directors may at any time review a log of all correspondence received by the Company that is addressed to any director and request copies of any such correspondence.

Director Independence

The corporate governance guidelines provide independence standards generally consistent with the New York Stock Exchange listing standards. These standards specify the criteria by which the independence of the Company’s Directors will be determined and require the Board annually to determine affirmatively that each independent Director has no material relationship with the Company other than as a Director. The Board has adopted the standards set out in the corporate governance guidelines, which are posted within the Corporate Governance section of the Company’s website at https://curtisswright.com/investor-relations/governance/governance-documents, for its evaluation of the materiality of any Director relationship with the Company. To assist in the Board’s determination, each Director completed a questionnaire designed to identify any relationship that could affect the Director’s independence. Based on the responses received from the Directors to the questionnaires and the standards described above, the Board has determined that the following nominees for Directors are “independent” as required by the New York Stock Exchange listing standards and the Board’s corporate governance guidelines: Bruce D. Hoechner, Glenda J. Minor, Anthony J. Moraco, William F. Moran, Robert J. Rivet, Peter C. Wallace, and Larry D. Wyche. Ms. Bamford does not meet the corporate governance guidelines independence test and NYSE independence listing standards due to her current position as Chair and Chief Executive Officer of the Company. The Board has also determined that Jeffrey J. Lyash, a non-director nominee, is “independent” as required by the New York Stock Exchange listing standards and the Board’s corporate governance guidelines. In making the determination that Mr. Wallace is “independent”, the Board considered the fact that Mr. Wallace is presently a director of an entity in which the Company at various times has purchased

goods and/or services. The Board determined that this relationship as a director is not material and, thus, did not affect Mr. Wallace’s independence, because Mr. Wallace does not participate in the day-to-day management of this entity, and does not receive any remuneration as a result of the goods and/or services being sold. Moreover, the transactions involved payments that are individually and in the aggregate immaterial to the revenues of that entity and the expenses of the Company. There were no other transactions, relationships, or arrangements not otherwise disclosed that were considered by the Board of Directors in determining whether any of the Directors are independent.

All members of the Audit Committee, the Executive Compensation Committee, the Finance Committee, and the Committee on Directors and Governance are independent Directors as defined in the New York Stock Exchange listing standards and in the standards in the Company’s corporate governance guidelines. In addition, each member of the Audit Committee meets the independence requirements under Rule 10A-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Furthermore, all members of the Executive Compensation Committee qualify as “non-employee directors” for purposes of Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

Board Committees

The Board of Directors has an Audit Committee, an Executive Compensation Committee, a Committee on Directors and Governance, and a Finance Committee. The Board may establish other special or standing committees from time to time. The Board has adopted a written charter for each of these four standing committees that satisfies the applicable standards of the New York Stock Exchange and the SEC. Each of the committees reviews its respective charter at least annually and it is amended as the respective committee deems appropriate for updates in response to changing regulatory requirements, as business circumstances warrant, and to reflect evolving best practices. The full text of each charter is available within the Corporate Governance section of the Company’s website at https://curtisswright.com/investor-relations/governance/governance-documents or by sending a request in writing to the Corporate Secretary, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036. The current membership of each committee is as follows:

Director	Audit Committee		Executive Compensation Committee		Committee on Directors and Governance		Finance Committee
Dean M. Flatt	X		X	(1)
Bruce D. Hoechner					X		X	(1)
Glenda J. Minor	X				X
Anthony J. Moraco			X				X
William F. Moran			X				X
Robert J. Rivet	X	(1)	X
Peter C. Wallace					X	(1)	X
Larry D. Wyche	X				X


(1)	Denotes Chairperson

Audit Committee. The Audit Committee consisted of four non-employee directors. The Audit Committee met six times during 2025. In accordance with New York Stock Exchange requirements, the Board in its business judgment has determined that each member of the Audit Committee is financially literate, knowledgeable, and qualified to review financial statements. The Board has also determined that at least two members of the Audit Committee, Robert J. Rivet and Glenda J. Minor, are an “audit committee financial expert” as defined in the rules of the SEC.

The Audit Committee’s primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

	•	overseeing the Company’s accounting and financial reporting processes, including the quality of internal accounting and financial controls over those processes, and the audits of the Company’s financial statements and internal control reports;

	•	overseeing the Company’s risk assessment and risk management processes;

	•	assessing the qualifications and performance of the Company’s internal audit function and internal auditors;

	•	appointing and retaining (subject to stockholder ratification), compensating, overseeing, and evaluating the performance, qualifications, and independence of the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, and participating in the selection of the lead audit partner;

	•	overseeing the Company’s cybersecurity, information security, data protection and technology programs and risks;

	•	assisting the Board with monitoring the Company’s compliance with legal and regulatory requirements (including environmental matters);

	•	overseeing the adequacy and performance of the Company’s ethics program; and

	•	overseeing compliance of the Company’s financial statements with its financial policies and applicable rules and regulations.

Executive Compensation Committee. The Executive Compensation Committee consisted of four non-employee directors. The Executive Compensation Committee met four times during 2025.

The Executive Compensation Committee’s primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

	•	overseeing the administering of the Company’s executive compensation programs including

	-	annual executive incentive compensation under the Company’s annual incentive compensation plan,

	-	long-term incentive compensation program, which includes both a cash and equity component, and

	-	equity compensation plan, including the 2024 Omnibus Incentive Compensation Plan;

	•	determining the total compensation, including base salary and short- and long-term incentive compensation and all benefits and perquisites, of the Chief Executive Officer and all Named Executive Officers;

	•	reviewing the Company’s compensation practices and policies, including to assess whether they could encourage undue risk taking;

	•	approving performance metrics, and reviewing performance against such metrics, for the Company’s short- and long-term executive incentive compensation programs;

	•	approving and overseeing the application of the Company’s policies on the recoupment of incentive compensation in the event of certain accounting restatements; and

	•	overseeing the development, implementation and effectiveness of the Company’s strategies and policies related to human capital development.

In fulfilling its responsibilities, the Executive Compensation Committee may retain a consultant and during 2025, the Executive Compensation Committee used the services of Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc., an independent compensation consultant, to assist and guide the Executive Compensation Committee. For a discussion concerning the process and procedures for the consideration and determination of executive compensation and the role of executive officers and compensation consultants in determining or recommending the amount or form of compensation, see “Compensation Discussion and Analysis” beginning on page 41 of this Proxy Statement.

Committee on Directors and Governance. The Committee on Directors and Governance consisted of four non-employee directors. The Committee on Directors and Governance met four times during 2025.

The Committee on Directors and Governance primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

	•	identifying and recommending to the Board of Directors individuals to become Board members;

	•	annually reviewing the Company’s corporate governance guidelines and Board committee charters and providing oversight of the corporate governance affairs of the Board and the Company consistent with the long-term best interests of the Company and its stockholders;

	•	developing policy on the size and composition of the Board and its committees;

	•	developing and recommending the criteria for selecting new members of the Board (and procedures for the nomination process) and the qualifications for committee membership;

	•	developing and overseeing procedures for the Board and its committee’s self-assessment process;

	•	evaluating the compensation of the Company’s non-employee Directors on a biennial basis, and recommending any changes to the Board for approval;

	•	overseeing the Company’s ESG program generally (including the Company’s response to climate change and sustainability, employee safety, and human capital); and

	•	overseeing any public emissions and climate-related disclosures that may be disclosed by the Company, including the establishment and periodic review of internal controls and procedures related to such disclosures to ensure the integrity of disclosed quantitative data.

Finance Committee. The Finance Committee consisted of four non-employee directors. The Finance Committee met three times during 2025.

The Finance Committee’s primary responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

	•	advising the Board regarding:

	-	the capital structure of the Company;

	-	balanced capital allocation policy;

	-	the Company’s dividend and stock repurchase programs;

	-	the Company’s currency risk and hedging programs;

	-	the Company’s investment managers and policies relating to the Company’s defined benefit plans;

•

overseeing issuances of any debt and equity securities.

Board and Board Committees Self-Evaluation Process

The Board recognizes that a thorough, constructive self-evaluation process enhances its effectiveness and is an essential element of good corporate governance. Accordingly, the Committee on Directors and Governance oversees an annual self-evaluation process to ensure that the full Board and each of its committees conducts a thorough self-assessment of its performance. In addition to providing an opportunity for directors to discuss a wide range of governance-related topics, the evaluation process is used by the Board and each committee to identify opportunities for improvement, make changes to the committee charters, processes, and policies, and is linked to the Board’s succession planning activities. Furthermore, the Board and its committees meet regularly in executive session throughout the year to consider areas that may warrant additional focus and attention. The Committee on Directors and Governance reviews and reassesses the format and effectiveness of the evaluation process each year and makes changes when considered necessary or appropriate.

During 2025, the evaluations were conducted using a detailed on-line survey designed to offer a thoughtful and substantive reflection on the Board and committees’ performance. The survey considers various topics related to Board and committee composition, structure, effectiveness, performance, and responsibilities, as well as the overall mix of director skills, experience, and backgrounds. The results of the survey were aggregated, summarized by the General Counsel, and presented to the Board and each committee for discussion in executive session.

Many of the improvements in the Company’s corporate governance practices and board and committee processes have resulted from this annual self-evaluation process, such as:

•

Streamlining meeting materials to better highlight important information, while maintaining completeness

	•	Refining meeting structure to allow sufficient time during Board and committee meetings for discussion, debate, in-depth reviews, and executive sessions

	•	Enhancing discussion about areas of emerging risk at Board and Audit Committee meetings, including deep dives on key topics at Board risk oversight sessions

	•	Providing educational opportunities during regularly scheduled meetings and through third-party programs, with an emphasis on topics requested by the Board and current events and trends

	•	Evolving the matrix of particular skills, background, and attributes of Board candidates needed to support the Company’s long-term growth strategy

The Board of Directors believes that through its annual self-evaluation, the Board of Directors will continue to evolve to meet the Company’s long-term strategic needs and the interests of the Company’s stockholders.

Board Leadership Structure

The Company is focused on strong corporate governance practices and values independent Board oversight as an essential component of strong corporate performance to enhance stockholder value. The Company’s commitment to independent oversight is demonstrated by the independence of all directors, except for our Chair and Chief Executive Officer.

The Board does not have a formal policy regarding the separation of the roles of the Chair of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer. The Board believes that every company is unique, and therefore, the appropriate board leadership structure will depend upon a company’s unique circumstances and needs at a particular time. The Board believes it is in the best interest of the Company and its stockholders for Ms. Bamford to serve as Board Chair and Chief Executive Officer, and Ms. Bamford is well suited to fill that role given her experience and knowledge of the Company’s business and industries. The Board believes Ms. Bamford’s ability to serve as both Chair and Chief Executive Officer will provide the Company with strong unified leadership. However, consistent with good corporate governance principles, the Committee on Directors and Governance will continue to review periodically this issue to determine whether, based on the relevant facts and circumstances at such future times, separation of the offices of Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer would better serve the interests of the Company and its stockholders.

The Board does not believe its independence is compromised by having a single person serve as Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. The functions of the Board are carried out by the full Board, and when delegated, by the Board committees. Each Director is a full and equal participant in the major strategic and policy decisions of the Company and the Chair has no greater or lesser vote on matters considered by the Board. Our non-management Directors meet in executive session without management (including the Chair and Chief Executive Officer) on a regularly scheduled basis, with the Lead Independent Director presiding in such sessions. During executive sessions, the Directors may consider such matters as they deem appropriate. Following each executive session, the results of the deliberations and any recommendations are communicated to the full Board of Directors.

Because Ms. Bamford serves as both Chair and Chief Executive Officer, the Board appoints an independent director to serve as Lead Independent Director. As Chair, Ms. Bamford fulfills her responsibilities in chairing the Board through close interaction with the Lead Independent Director. The Board has structured the role of its Lead Independent Director to strike an appropriate balance between well-focused and independent leadership on the Board. The Lead Independent Director serves as the focal point for independent Directors regarding resolving conflicts with the Chief Executive Officer, or other independent Directors, and coordinating feedback to the Chief Executive Officer on behalf of independent Directors regarding business issues and Board management. The Lead Independent Director is expected to foster a cohesive Board that supports and cooperates with the Chief Executive Officer’s ultimate goal of creating stockholder value. In this regard, the Lead Independent Director’s responsibilities include, among other duties:

•

Convening and presiding over executive sessions attended only by non-employee Directors;

	•	Communicating to the Chief Executive Officer the substance of discussions held during those sessions to the extent requested by the participants;

	•	Serving as a liaison between the Chair and the Board’s independent Directors on sensitive issues;

	•	Consulting with the Chair on meeting schedules and agendas, including the format and adequacy of information the independent Directors receive and the effectiveness of the meeting process;

	•	Overseeing the Board’s self-evaluation process; and

	•	Presiding at meetings of the Board in the event of the Chair’s unavailability.

The Board believes this governance structure and these practices ensure that strong and independent directors will continue to effectively oversee the Company’s management and key issues related to long-term business plans, long-range strategic issues, risks, and integrity.

Board Role in Risk Oversight

General

The Board of Directors is charged with oversight of the Company’s risk management policies and practices with the objective of ensuring appropriate risk management systems are employed throughout the Company to help ensure a successful business at the Company. While all members of the Company’s senior leadership team are responsible for the assessment and day-to-day management of risk, the Board of Directors is responsible for oversight of the Company’s major risks and assessing that appropriate risk management and control procedures are in place.

The Company relies on a comprehensive enterprise risk management program designed to work across the entire organization to identify, assess, monitor, and manage the Company’s strategic, operational, financial reporting, legal and compliance, cybersecurity, information security, data protection and technology risks. The Company’s enterprise risk management program is designed to enable the Board to establish a mutual understanding with management of the effectiveness of the Company’s risk management practices and capabilities, to review the Company’s risk exposure, and to elevate certain key risks for discussion at the Board level. While the Board has the ultimate oversight responsibility for risk management processes, various committees of the Board composed entirely of independent directors, also have responsibility for certain aspects of risk oversight management. The Board and its committees are kept informed by various reports on risk identification and mitigation provided to them on a regular basis, including reports made at the Board and Committee meetings by management and the Company’s independent auditors. The Board and its committees have direct and independent access to management. By fostering increased communication, the Company’s believes the current Board leadership structure and the Board’s risk oversight practices lead to the identification and implementation of effective risk management strategies.

Key Board Committee Oversight Responsibilities

Audit Committee: The Audit Committee of the Board, acting pursuant to its written charter, serves as the principal agent of the Board in fulfilling the Board’s oversight of risk assessment and management, including with respect to major strategic; operational; financial reporting; legal and compliance; cybersecurity, information security, data protection and technology risks. The Company’s Vice President, Risk and Compliance (“VP of Risk”), who reports to the Audit Committee, facilitates the enterprise risk management program discussed above, and helps ensure that risk management is integrated into the Company’s strategic and operating planning process. The Company’s VP of Risk regularly updates the Audit Committee on the Company’s risk management program throughout the year through discussions of individual risk areas, as well as an annual summary of the enterprise risk management process. The Audit Committee reviews with management the risks presented and the steps management has taken to monitor, mitigate, and control such risks. In addition, periodically, but not less than annually, the Audit Committee receives a report from the Company’s General Counsel and the Company’s Chief Ethics Officer relating to, (i) the implementation and effectiveness of the

Company’s legal and ethical compliance program and adherence to the Company’s Code of Conduct, and (ii) all significant compliance investigations undertaken in the past year. Furthermore, the Company’s General Counsel oversees risks related to, among other areas, global trade compliance, labor and employment, and disputes and litigation, and provides periodic reports to the Audit Committee on these topics. Moreover, the Audit Committee also regularly meets in executive session without management present with the Company’s Director of Internal Audit and the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm to discuss areas of concern. In many instances, the discussion of these risks is integrated within the topics on the Board and committee agendas.

The Company’s Chief Digital and Information Officer (“CDIO”) leads the Company’s cybersecurity risk assessment and risk management program. The CDIO, with over 26 years of experience leading cybersecurity oversight, brings a wealth of expertise and in-depth knowledge instrumental in developing and executing the Company’s cybersecurity program. The Company’s cybersecurity program is fully integrated into the Company’s overall enterprise risk management program. The Company’s VP of Risk works closely with the CDIO and his information technology security team to continuously evaluate and address cybersecurity risks in alignment with the Company’s business objectives and operational needs. This integration ensures that cybersecurity considerations are an integral part of the Company’s decision-making processes at every level.

The CDIO continually assesses industry best practices, frameworks, and standards, and leverages them to advance the Company’s cybersecurity program. This ongoing knowledge acquisition is crucial for the effective prevention, detection, mitigation, and remediation of cybersecurity incidents. The Company’s cybersecurity risk management program includes the deployment of tools and activities designed to prevent, detect, and analyze current and emerging cybersecurity threats, and plans and strategies to address threats and incidents. Program highlights include:

	•	Employing a multi-layer strategy of defense designed to ensure the safety, security, and responsible use of information and data.

	•	Monitoring of all IT assets, resources, and data 24-hours per day, 7-days per week, 365-days per year by security operations center (SOC).

	•	Performing annual testing of the Company’s incident response plan and cybersecurity posture by a third party.

	•	Incorporating external expertise to manage the SOC, perform penetration tests, cyber-attack simulation exercises, and log management to review anomalies indicating a possible breach.

	•	Maintaining a business continuity program and cyber insurance.

	•	Performing periodic employee simulated phishing campaigns.

	•	Conducting annual cybersecurity and insider threat training for all employees.

The CDIO plays a pivotal role in informing the Audit Committee, as well as our Chief Executive Officer and other members of the Company’s senior management team, including the Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer, and General Counsel, on cybersecurity risks. The CDIO provides comprehensive briefings to the Audit Committee on a periodic basis, which the Chief Executive Officer and other members of the senior management team attend. This report includes discussions of rapidly evolving cybersecurity threats, cybersecurity incidents, cybersecurity technologies and solutions deployed, major cybersecurity risk areas, and policies and procedures to address those risks and cybersecurity incidents. The report also includes third-party assessments of the Company’s cybersecurity program, which are conducted regularly. The CDIO also informs the Chief Executive Officer and other members of the senior management team on a more informal basis of all aspects related to cybersecurity risks and incidents. This ensures that the highest levels of management are kept abreast of the cybersecurity posture and potential risks facing the Company. Any significant cybersecurity matters, and strategic risk management decisions related thereto, are escalated to the Board of Directors, ensuring that they have comprehensive oversight and can provide guidance on significant cybersecurity issues.

Executive Compensation Committee: The Executive Compensation Committee considers risks in connection with its design of compensation programs and equity compensation plans for the Company’s employees, including the executive officers, while incorporating features that mitigate risk without diminishing the incentive nature of the compensation. The conclusions of this assessment are set forth in the Compensation Discussion and Analysis under the heading “Risk Consideration in the Overall Compensation Program for 2025” on page 59 of this Proxy Statement.

Finance Committee: The Finance Committee is responsible for assessing risks related to financing matters such as pension plans, capital structure, capital allocation, currency risk and hedging programs, and equity and debt issuances, as well as to insurance-related risk management programs.

Committee on Directors and Governance: The Committee on Directors and Governance oversees risk related to Board governance and the Company’s corporate governance framework, and the Company’s ESG profiles and ratings, including reviewing the adequacy of the Company’s strategy, policies, practices, programs, procedures, initiatives and training as they relate to the environment (including climate change and sustainability), and health and safety. The health and safety of the Company’s employees is a top priority for the Board, and the Board exercises direct and active oversight over the Company’s health and safety initiatives. The Committee on Directors and Governance and the Board receive periodic briefings on the Company’s ESG efforts and enterprise-level EHS Management System from senior management, including the Company’s Sr. Director of EH&S, who reports to the Company’s Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary, to identify and understand specific risks within the ESG and EHS realms so the Board can stay abreast of both emerging and material ESG and EHS risks that could have a material impact on the Company. The Company has implemented procedures and precautions to ensure the continued safety and well-being of employees. The Company is always looking for ways to improve compliance standards by utilizing continuous improvement discipline to proactively eliminate risks in the workplace.

Each Chair of a Board committee delivers a report to the Board, no later than the next scheduled board meeting, regarding matters considered at committee meetings that have taken place since the previous board meeting, including any risks associated with the Company’s operations.

Effectiveness of the Company’s Risk Oversight Approach

The Company believes the division of risk management responsibilities among the Board, its committees and senior management is the most effective approach for addressing the risks the Company faces. The Board leadership structure supports effective risk oversight by combining Board committees and majority independent Board composition with an experienced Chair and Chief Executive Officer who has detailed knowledge of the Company’s business, history, and the complex challenges it faces. The Chair and Chief Executive Officer’s in-depth understanding of these matters and involvement in the day-to-day management of the Company positions her to promptly identify and raise key risks to the Board and focus the Board’s attention on areas of concern. The independent committee chairs and other Directors also are experienced professionals or executives who serve on the various committees involved in assisting with risk oversight and can and do raise issues for Board consideration and review and are not hesitant to challenge management. The Board believes there is a well-functioning and effective balance between the non-management Directors and the Chair and Chief Executive Officer that enhances risk oversight.

Board Oversight of ESG

The Company believes strong governance and oversight of ESG issues is critical, particularly with respect to the issues that impact the Company’s stakeholders – customers, stockholders, employees, suppliers, and the environment. These ESG elements contribute both to the long-term success of the Company’s business and to the positive impacts the Company can make in society. The Board works closely with the senior management team to oversee ESG at the Company, both directly and through its standing committees dedicated to areas of the program associated with their respective areas of responsibility. Committee oversight responsibilities of ESG are discussed in the section titled “Board Committees” on page 27 of this Proxy Statement.

Board Role in Strategic Oversight

The Board takes an active role in overseeing senior management’s formulation and implementation of its strategic plan. It receives a comprehensive overview of management’s strategic plan for all the Company’s businesses at least annually, receives regular updates from consultants and other experts on the global capital markets and industrial environment, and receives periodic updates from individual businesses at other regularly scheduled Board meetings throughout the year. The Board provides insight and feedback to senior management, and, if necessary, challenges management on the Company’s strategic direction. The Board also monitors and evaluates, with the assistance of the Chief Executive Officer, the Company’s corporate strategy and financial results, and approves all material capital allocation decisions.

The Board and management are committed to optimizing the allocation of capital resources for future growth. Management regularly evaluates the Company’s portfolio of businesses and potential corporate development opportunities with the input and collaboration of the Board. The Board regularly reviews and assesses the value proposition and risks of any proposed acquisition, as well as whether our existing business segments should be expanded, curtailed, disposed of, or diversified. In addition, the Board’s Finance Committee provides oversight and focuses on the Company’s capital structure, including organic and inorganic investment options aligned with the Company’s strategies, share repurchases, dividends, and capital expenditures. Accordingly, acquisitions and divestitures are part of the Company’s ongoing strategy assessment and execution to maximize long-term stockholder value.

Succession Planning

The Board of Directors recognizes that one of its most important responsibilities is to ensure excellence and continuity in the Company’s senior leadership by overseeing the development of executive talent and planning for the effective succession of the Company’s Chief Executive Officer and the other senior members of the Company’s senior leadership team. This responsibility is reflected in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines, which provide for an annual review of CEO succession planning and management development. The Board oversees the succession planning process by reviewing and evaluating candidates for successor to the Chief Executive Officer and to assure that senior management has established and maintains a succession planning process for senior executive positions other than the Chief Executive Officer. As part of the succession planning process, the Chief Executive Officer, working with the Board, also reviews and maintains an emergency succession plan for the position of Chief Executive Officer.

In furtherance of the foregoing, the Company’s Chief Executive Officer provides a biennial succession planning report to the Board of Directors, which summarizes the overall composition of the Company’s senior leadership team, including their professional qualifications, tenure, and work experience. The report also identifies internal members of the senior leadership team who are viewed as potential successors to the Chief Executive Officer. Succession planning is also regularly discussed in executive sessions of the Board of Directors. The Company’s directors become familiar with internal potential successors for key leadership positions through various means, including a biennial succession planning report and Board of Directors and committee meetings, and less formal interactions throughout the course of the year.

Additionally, the Board of Directors, with support and recommendations from the Committee on Directors and Governance, oversees the succession of its members. To this end, at least once a year, in connection with the annual director nomination and re-nomination process, the Committee on Directors and Governance evaluates each director’s performance, relative strengths and weaknesses, and future plans, including any personal retirement objectives and the potential applicability of the Company’s mandatory retirement policy for directors (which is set forth in the Company’s Corporate Governance Guidelines). As part of that evaluation, the Committee on Directors and Governance also identifies areas of overall strength and weakness with respect to its composition and considers whether the Board of Directors as a whole possesses core competencies in the areas of accounting and finance, management experience with mergers and acquisitions, risk management, industry knowledge, knowledge of technology and cybersecurity, marketing, digital marketing and social media, international markets, strategic vision, compensation, and ESG, among others.

Director Onboarding and Education

All new Directors participate in the Company’s director onboarding program. The onboarding process includes in-person or virtual meetings with senior leaders to familiarize new directors with the Company’s strategic vision, values, and culture; operational and financial reporting structure; and legal, compliance, and governance framework. Our goal is to assist our new Directors in understanding the Company and developing the skills and knowledge that they need to serve the interests of the Company’s stockholders.

It is important for directors to stay current and informed on developments in corporate governance best practices to effectively discharge their duties, as well as be exposed to information regarding conditions in the end markets where the Company operates to increase the Directors understanding of the Company’s risks and opportunities. The Company provides its Directors updates from both internal and outside industry experts on corporate governance trends and developments as well as in the Company’s end markets and other issues of importance to the Company at regularly scheduled board and committee meetings. The Board also encourages all Directors to participate in continuing director education programs, either individually or together with other Committee members, to help them maintain and enhance their skills and knowledge in carrying out their ongoing responsibilities as directors of a public company. The Directors are reimbursed for their expenses for such programs.

Stockholder Nominations for Directors

The Committee on Directors and Governance will consider stockholder nominations for Director nominees. A stockholder desiring the committee to consider his or her Director nominations should deliver a written submission in accordance with the Company’s By-laws to the Committee on Directors and Governance in care of the Corporate Secretary, Curtiss-Wright Corporation, 130 Harbour Place Drive, Suite 300, Davidson, North Carolina 28036. Such submission must include:

	(1)	the name and address of such stockholder,

	(2)	the name of such nominee,

	(3)	the nominee’s written consent to serve if elected,

	(4)	documentation demonstrating that the nominating stockholder is indeed a stockholder of the Company, including the number of shares of stock owned,

	(5)	a representation (i) that the stockholder is a holder of record of the stock of the Company entitled to vote at such meeting and whether he or she intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting, and (ii) whether the stockholder intends or is part of a group that intends to deliver a proxy statement to the Company’s stockholders respecting such nominee or otherwise solicit proxies respecting such nominee,

	(6)	a description of any derivative instruments the stockholder owns for which the Company’s shares are the underlying security or any other direct or indirect opportunity the stockholder has to profit from any increase or decrease in the value of the Company’s stock,

	(7)	a description of the extent to which the stockholder has entered into any transaction or series of transactions, including hedging, short selling, borrowing shares, or lending shares, with the effect or intent to mitigate loss to or manage or share risk or benefit of changes in the value or price of share of stock of the Company for, or to increase or decrease the voting power or economic interest of, such stockholder with respect to any shares of stock of the Company,

	(8)	a description of any proxy, contract, arrangement, understanding, or relationship under which the stockholder has a right to vote any of the shares of stock of the Company or influence the voting over any such shares,

	(9)	a description of any rights to dividends on the shares of stock of the Company the stockholder has that are separated or separable from the underlying shares of stock of the Company,

	(10)	a description of any performance-related fees (other than asset-based fee) the stockholder is entitled to based on any increase or decrease in the value of the shares of stock of the Company or related derivative instruments,

	(11)	to the extent known, the name and address of any other stockholder(s) supporting the nomination on the date of the stockholder’s submission of the nomination to the Committee on Directors and Governance,

	(12)	any information relating to the nominee and his or her affiliates that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy solicitation for the election of Directors of the Company pursuant to Regulation 14A under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and

	(13)	a description of all direct and indirect compensation, and other material monetary agreements, arrangements, and understandings during the past three years, and any other material relationships between such nominating stockholder or beneficial owner, if any, on the one hand, and the nominee and his or her respective affiliates or associates, or others acting in concert therewith, on the other hand.

In addition, such submission must be accompanied by a written questionnaire with respect to the background and qualification of the nominee and the background of any other person or entity on whose behalf the nomination is being made. Further, the nominee must also provide a written representation and agreement that such nominee (i) is not and will not become party to (x) any agreement, arrangement, or understanding as to how such prospective nominee will act or vote on any issue or question that has not been disclosed to the Company, or (y) any agreement, arrangement, or understanding as to how such prospective nominee will act or vote on any issue or question that could limit or interfere with such nominee’s ability to comply with such nominee’s fiduciary duties, (ii) is not and will not become party to any agreement, arrangement, or understanding with respect to any direct or indirect compensation, reimbursement, or indemnification in connection with service or action as a director, that has not been disclosed to the Company, and (iii) in such person’s individual capacity and on behalf of any beneficial owner on whose behalf the nomination is being made, would be in compliance with all applicable corporate governance, conflict of interest, confidentiality, and stock ownership and trading policies and guidelines of the Company. The Committee may require additional information from the nominee to perform its evaluation.

Board Membership Criteria and Selection Process for Director Nominees

In addition to stockholder nominations for Directors, the Committee on Directors and Governance also considers candidates for Board membership as recommended by Directors or executive management. The Committee on Directors and Governance uses the same criteria to evaluate all candidates for Board membership, whether recommended by Directors, executive management, or stockholders. As it deems necessary, the Committee on Directors and Governance may engage consultants or third-party search firms to assist in identifying and evaluating potential nominees. The Committee on Directors and Governance seeks candidates with the highest professional and personal ethics and values and who will operate in accordance with the Company’s Code of Conduct and corporate governance guidelines. The Committee on Directors and Governance also assesses a candidate’s ability to make independent analytical inquiries, and willingness to devote adequate time to Board duties. Prospective candidates should be committed to representing the long-term interests of the Company’s stockholders. Moreover, a potential candidate must exhibit an inquisitive and objective perspective, an ability to think strategically, an ability to identify practical problems, and an ability to assess alternative courses of action that contribute to the long-term success of the business. Director nominees should possess at least the following experience, attributes, and characteristics:

Experience (in one or more of the following):

	•	Leadership experience at the policy-making level;

	•	Specialized expertise in the industries in which the Company competes;

	•	Demonstrated business acumen or special technical skills or expertise (e.g., auditing, financial, law and aerospace/defense);

	•	Breadth of knowledge about issues affecting the Company;

	•	Ability and willingness to contribute special competencies to Board activities; and

	•	Expertise and experience that is useful to the Company and complementary to the background and experience of other Board members.

Personal attributes and characteristics:

	•	Personal integrity;

	•	Loyalty to the Company and concern for its success and welfare, and willingness to apply sound independent business judgment;

	•	Awareness of a director’s vital part in the Company’s good corporate citizenship and corporate image; and

	•	Willingness to assume fiduciary responsibilities.

The Committee on Directors and Governance annually evaluates the performance of the Board, each of the committees, and each of the members of the Board. It also reviews the size of the Board and whether it would be beneficial to add additional members and/or any new skills or expertise, considering the overall operating efficiency of the Board and its committees. If the Board has a vacancy, or if the Committee determines that it would be beneficial to add an additional member, the Committee will consider the factors identified above and all other factors, which the Committee in its best judgment deems relevant at such time.

Once an individual has been identified by the Committee on Directors and Governance as a potential candidate, the Committee, as an initial matter, may collect and review publicly available information regarding the individual to assess whether the individual should be considered further. Generally, if the individual expresses a willingness to be considered and to serve on the Board, and the Committee believes that the individual has the potential to be a good candidate, the Committee would seek to gather information from or about the individual, review the individual’s accomplishments and qualifications in light of any other candidates that the Committee might be considering, and, as appropriate, conduct one or more interviews with the individual. In certain instances, Committee members may contact one or more references provided by the candidate or may contact other members of the business community or other individuals that may have greater first-hand knowledge of the candidate’s accomplishments. The Committee’s evaluation process does not vary based on whether a prospective candidate is recommended by a stockholder, although, as stated above in the section titled “Stockholder Nominations for Directors” on page 35 of this Proxy Statement, the Board may take into consideration the number of shares held by the recommending stockholder and the length of time that such shares have been held.

The Committee on Directors and Governance does not have a formal written policy regarding considering diversity in identifying nominees for directors. But when considering director candidates, it seeks individuals with backgrounds, skills, business and professional experiences, industry affiliations, and geographical representation, so that when combined with those of the Company’s other directors, brings a broad range of capabilities to build a skillful, responsive, and effective Board. The Company believes its nominees for directors at this Annual Meeting appropriately reflect a mix of experience and skills and of professional backgrounds.

Board Tenure

The Board strives to maintain an appropriate balance of tenure and refreshment among directors. The Board believes there are significant benefits from the valuable experience and familiarity with the Company and its people and processes that longer-tenured directors bring, as well as significant benefits from the fresh perspectives and ideas that new directors bring. The average tenure of our Director nominees is 6.3 years. Under the Board’s corporate governance guidelines, Directors are expected to retire from the Board effective at the Annual Meeting after reaching the age of 75. We believe the Board strikes the right balance of longer serving and newer directors.

Board Member Time Commitments

Directors are expected to commit substantial time and energy to the Board and should ensure that other existing and future time commitments do not materially interfere with their service as a director. With respect to other directorships, the Company’s Policy on Outside Board Membership requires that no Curtiss-Wright executive or non-executive Director may serve on more than three boards of public companies in addition to the Curtiss-Wright Board (total of four). In addition, the Audit Committee charter requires that no member of the Audit Committee may serve on more than two other public company audit committees (total of three) without first obtaining the prior approval of the Board. Directors should notify both the Chair of the Board and the Chairperson of the Committee on Directors and Governance before accepting an invitation to serve on another public company board.

Stockholder Engagement

The Company and the Board believe engagement with Curtiss-Wright stockholders is an integrated, year-round process involving senior management and the investor relations team. The Company welcomes the opportunity to openly engage with its stockholders regarding its performance and success of its Pivot to Growth strategy, and believes it is important to understanding the interests and perspectives of all stockholders.

The Company engages with stockholders to:

	•	Provide visibility and transparency into the Company’s business, including senior management’s perspectives on the financial and operational performance, capital allocation preferences, key trends impacting its end markets and other industry developments;

	•	Discuss and seek feedback on the Company’s communications and disclosures; issues that are important to stockholders; hear stockholder expectations for the Company; and share the Company’s views;

	•	Discuss and seek feedback on the Company’s executive compensation and corporate governance policies and practices; and

	•	Convey and incorporate feedback to senior management and the Board to enhance future disclosure and decision-making, as appropriate.

Throughout the year, the Company meets with research analysts and institutional investors to inform and share the Company’s perspective on its financial and operational performance through its participation in investor conferences, non-conference roadshows, investor days and other formal events where the Company may conduct group and one-on-one meetings, in addition to formal presentations. The Company also engages with governance representatives of its major stockholders, through conference calls and emails that occur during and outside of the proxy season.

During 2025, the Company maintained active engagement through meetings and calls with its top 50 institutional investors who own approximately 40% of the Company’s outstanding stock, in addition to conducting meetings with prospective stockholders. Overall, the Company conducted approximately 200 meetings with institutional investors and prospects through industry conferences and non-conference events, and separately conducted well in excess of 100 conversations by phone. Among the many topics discussed during this ordinary course engagement were the Company’s business, Pivot to Growth strategy, long-term outlook and three-year financial targets provided at its 2024 Investor Day, secular growth trends across key end markets, financial condition, governance, capital allocation preferences and other topics of interest to stockholders and prospective stockholders.

The Board and senior management are committed to acting according to the best interests of the Company and its stockholders. As part of the Company’s continuing efforts to create shareholder value, the comments, questions and suggestions offered by the Company’s investors were shared with, and discussed by, the full Board, and their perspectives will inform the Board’s decision-making in 2026 and beyond.

The following report of the Audit Committee does not constitute soliciting material and should not be deemed filed or incorporated by reference into any other Company filing under the Securities Act or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, except to the extent the Company specifically incorporates this report by reference therein.

Audit Committee Report

Management is responsible for the financial reporting process, including its system of internal controls, and for the preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America. Our independent accountants are responsible for auditing those financial statements and the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting. The Audit Committee is responsible for monitoring and reviewing these processes. The Audit Committee does not have the duty or responsibility to conduct auditing or accounting reviews or procedures. None of the members of the Audit Committee may be employees of the Company. Additionally, the Audit Committee members may not represent themselves to be accountants or auditors for the Company, or to serve as accountants or auditors by profession or experts in the fields of accounting or auditing for the Company. Therefore, the Audit Committee has relied, without independent verification, on management’s representation that the financial statements have been prepared with integrity and objectivity and in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States of America and on the representations of the independent accountants included in their report on the Company’s financial statements.

The oversight performed by the Audit Committee does not provide it with an independent basis to determine that management has maintained appropriate accounting and financial reporting principles, or policies or appropriate internal controls and procedures designed to assure compliance with accounting standards and applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the discussions that the Audit Committee has with management and the independent accountants do not assure that the financial statements are presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles, that the audit of the financial statements has been carried out in accordance with generally accepted auditing standards, or that our independent accountants are in fact “independent.”

As more fully described in its charter, the Audit Committee is responsible for, among other items, overseeing the integrity of the Company’s financial statements and the financial reporting process, the systems of internal accounting and financial controls, the qualifications and performance of the internal audit function and internal auditors, and the annual independent audit of the Company’s financial statements by the Company’s independent registered public accounting firm, Deloitte & Touche LLP. As part of fulfilling its responsibilities, the Audit Committee reviewed and discussed with management and Deloitte & Touche LLP the audited consolidated financial statements for fiscal year 2025, including a discussion of the quality, not just the acceptability, of the accounting principles, the reasonableness of significant judgments, and the clarity of disclosures in the financial statements, as well as the Company’s earnings releases and quarterly and annual reports on Form 10-Q and Form 10-K prior to filing with the SEC. In addition, the Audit Committee reviewed with management, Deloitte & Touche LLP, and the Company’s Director of Internal Audit, the overall audit scope and plans, the results of internal and external audits, evaluations by management and Deloitte & Touche LLP of the Company’s internal controls over financial reporting and the quality of the Company’s financial reporting. The Audit Committee also discussed with Deloitte & Touche LLP the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC. The Audit Committee has also discussed and considered the independence of Deloitte & Touche LLP with representatives of Deloitte & Touche LLP, reviewing as necessary all relationships and services (including non-audit services) that might bear on the objectivity of Deloitte & Touche LLP, and received the written disclosures and the letter required under Rule 3526 of the PCAOB (Communications with Audit Committees Concerning Independence) from Deloitte & Touche LLP. Based on the forgoing, the Audit Committee concluded that Deloitte & Touche LLP is independent from the Company and its management. The Audit Committee schedules separate private sessions, during its regularly scheduled meetings, with Deloitte & Touche LLP and the Company’s Director of Internal Audit, at which candid discussions regarding financial management, accounting, auditing and internal control

issues takes place. Deloitte & Touche LLP is also encouraged to discuss any other matters they desire with the Audit Committee, the Director of Internal Audit, and/or the full Board of Directors.

The opinions of Deloitte & Touche LLP are filed separately in the 2025 Annual Report on Form 10-K and should be read in conjunction with the reading of the financial statements.

Based upon the Audit Committee’s review and discussions referred to above, the Audit Committee recommended to the Board of Directors that the audited consolidated financial statements and footnotes be included in the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2025, for filing with the SEC.

	AUDIT COMMITTEE OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

	Robert J. Rivet, Chairperson Dean M. Flatt Glenda J. Minor Larry D. Wyche

COMPENSATION DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS

This Compensation Discussion and Analysis (“CD&A”) details the Executive Compensation Committee’s (“Committee”) decisions regarding the compensation programs and practices as they relate to the Company’s Named Executive Officers (“NEOs”). The NEOs are identified below along with their offices held during fiscal year 2025:

	•	Lynn M. Bamford, Chair and Chief Executive Officer
	•	K. Christopher Farkas, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer (a)
	•	Kevin M. Rayment, Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (b)
	•	George P. McDonald, Vice President, General Counsel and Corporate Secretary (c)
	•	John C. Watts, Vice President - Strategy and Corporate Development (d)

	(a)	Effective January 1, 2026, Mr. Farkas’ title changed to Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer.
	(b)	Effective January 1, 2026, Mr. Rayment’s title changed to Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer.
	(c)	Effective January 1, 2026, Mr. McDonald’s title changed to Executive Vice President, General Counsel, and Corporate Secretary.
	(d)	Effective January 1, 2026, Mr. Watts’ title changed to Executive Vice President and Chief Growth Officer.

2025 Company Financial Performance

The dedication of Curtiss-Wright employees to serving its customers and meeting the Company’s commitments to stakeholders drove very strong performance in fiscal 2025, with strong increases in sales, operating margin, earnings per share, and free cash flow. As a result, Company performance was near maximum relative to target against its financial performance metrics (adjusted operating margin, year-over-year organic sales growth, and working capital as a percentage of sales) under the annual incentive compensation plan. As a result, bonus payments for the NEOs under the annual incentive program were well above target level pay. In addition, under the long-term incentive plan, the Company was at maximum relative to target against its financial performance metrics (total sales growth and adjusted earnings per share) under the long-term incentive compensation plan over the past three-year performance period (2023-2025). As a result, cash-based performance units payouts for the 2023-2025 performance period were at maximum of target level pay and TSR was at the 93^rdpercentile of the Company’s peer group. The Company believes these results demonstrate the strong pay-for-performance alignment under its annual and long-term incentive compensation plans.

In 2025, the Company’s three-year total shareholder return (TSR) ranked in the 93^rdpercentile against the Company’s peer group. TSR is the change in our Common Stock price plus dividends from the beginning of the measurement period to the end (three years, 1/1/2023 to 12/31/2025). The Company’s 2025 financial performance as measured under the Company’s executive compensation plans were as follows:

	•	Adjusted Organic Sales Growth of 11.6%.
	•	Adjusted Operating Margin of 18.5%; and
	•	Working Capital as a percentage of Sales of 19.2%.

The following charts illustrate how the Company compares against the peer group set forth on page 45 of this Proxy Statement measuring one and three-year indexed TSR as of December 31, 2025. Indexed TSR means the value at the end of the 1 and 3-year measurement periods of a hypothetical $100 invested at the beginning of the periods.

2025 Incentive Payouts

As discussed in the section titled “2025 Company Financial Performance” on page 41 of this CD&A, the Committee believes incentive awards earned by the NEOs for fiscal 2025 reflect the Company’s commitment to pay for performance.

	•	2025 annual incentive awards were paid on average at 180% of target for the NEOs with incentives based on Company financial objectives (80%) and individual (20%) performance.

	•	Cash-based performance units for the NEOs for the 2023-2025 performance period were paid at maximum or 200% of target, based on 3-year average total sales growth and 3-year average adjusted earnings-per-share growth.

	•	Performance Share Units payout for the 2023-2025 performance period was at maximum or 200% of target, attributable to the Company’s relative TSR performance to the Company’s peer group.

Compensation Practices and Policies

The Committee frequently reviews the Company’s executive compensation program to ensure it supports the Company’s compensation philosophy and objectives and continues to drive corporate performance to achieve the Company’s strategic plan. The Committee continues to implement and maintain best practices for executive compensation. Listed below are some of the best practices the

Company follows for all participants of the incentive plans and the practices that the Company does not include in its program:

What Curtiss-Wright Does		What Curtiss-Wright Does Not Do
• Aligns pay and performance using measures of financial and operating performance including use of relative TSR • Ties NEO payouts to publicly released numbers to ensure transparency in incentive plan payouts.		• No NEO employment agreements • Does not engage in executive compensation practices that encourage excessive risk
• Balances short-term and long-term incentives using multiple performance measures that focus on profitable top line growth		• No short sales, hedging, or pledging of Curtiss-Wright stock • No reloading, re-pricing or backdating stock options
• Places maximum caps on incentive payouts consistent with market competitive practice		• No tax gross-ups on change-in-control benefits for executives
• Establishes rigorous stock ownerships guidelines for NEOs and Board members including a 50% mandatory hold on net shares until ownership guidelines are met for NEOs		• No dividends on unvested or unearned performance units/shares • No excessive perquisites
• Maintains robust clawback policies on all incentive compensation, including the adoption of an incentive compensation clawback policy for Section 16 officers pursuant to Dodd-Frank in the event of certain accounting restatements		• No excessive severance and/or change-in- control provisions
• Uses an independent external compensation consultant to review and advise on executive compensation
• Uses double trigger Change-in-Control Agreements for equity vesting under the Corporation’s Long-Term Incentive Plan
• Provides incentive-based compensation opportunities throughout most of the organization

Consideration of Say on Pay Results

The Company provides its stockholders an annual advisory vote to approve its executive compensation program under Section 14A of the Exchange Act. At the 2025 Annual Meeting of stockholders, over 92% of shares voted were in favor of the Company’s executive pay programs (commonly known as Say on Pay).

Stockholder input is important to the Committee. The Company regularly solicits input from its major stockholders on the Company’s executive compensation programs. The Company received overall positive feedback regarding the Company’s performance, core compensation structure, and elements of its executive compensation program.

The Committee evaluated these results, considered stockholder feedback received by the Company, and took into account many other factors in evaluating the Company’s executive compensation programs as discussed in this CD&A. The Committee also assessed the interaction of our compensation programs with our business objectives, input from its independent compensation consultant, Frederic W. Cook & Co., Inc. (“FW Cook”), and review of peer data, each of which is evaluated in the context of the Committee’s fiduciary duty to act as the directors determine to be in the

best interests of the Company. While each of these factors contributed to the Committee’s decisions regarding our NEOs’ compensation, the Committee did not make any material changes to our 2025 executive compensation program and policies as the Committee believes that the 2025 voting results as well as investor feedback indicate stockholders’ approval of the NEO’s compensation levels, objectives, program design, and rationale.

Overview of the 2025 Executive Compensation Program

Compensation Philosophy

The Company’s overall compensation philosophy for all participants and objectives will support and enable:

	•	Curtiss-Wright’s vision of achieving top quartile performance compared to its peer group

	•	Pay outcomes aligned company performance with shareholder interests by targeting NEO total direct compensation opportunities at market median, which provides the opportunity for above median pay for above median performance and below median pay for below median performance

	•	Incentive Metrics and Targets dictated by the Company’s strategic goals that are:

	-	Evaluated annually based on financial performance and outlook

	-	Modified in terms of weighting and mix as Curtiss-Wright’s performance advances towards or enters the top quartile

	-	Reviewed and assessed as business conditions change with exceptions possible when aligned with strategic purposes

	•	Long-Term Incentives (LTI) including equity as a key component thereby aligning 70% of NEO’s LTI grant value with shareholder interests through 3-year performance-based vehicles

	•	Compensation to be a tool for key employee retention and talent development

Compensation mix

To reinforce the Company’s pay for performance philosophy, two-thirds of targeted total direct compensation for the CEO and greater than one-half for each NEO and all other participants of the incentive plans is contingent upon performance and, therefore, fluctuates with the Company’s financial results and/or share price. The Committee targets total direct compensation opportunities for the general participant group on average to the 50th percentile (median) of the Company’s relevant market and peer data with actual upside and downside pay tied to corresponding performance.

2025 Target Compensation Mix and “Pay at Risk”

Performance-based compensation includes, annual incentives, equity-based performance share units, and cash-based performance units, which account for 66% of the CEO’s total target compensation and on average 57% of the total target compensation for the remaining NEOs.

The acronyms PSUs, PUPs, and RSUs in the above pie charts mean equity-based performance share units (“PSUs”), cash-based performance units (“PUPs”), and time-based restricted stock units (“RSUs”), respectively, each of which is discussed in more detail later in this CDA.

Competitive market data and peer group data

The Committee analyzed competitive market data from two sources:

1. Peer group; and

2. Survey data

The Committee utilizes both peer group and aerospace and defense industry survey data when evaluating NEO compensation levels. The peer group data is representative of competitors with similar product lines, markets / industries and relative revenue size. Peer group incentive plan practices are a key measure for selecting the Company’s annual incentive plan and performance-based long-term incentive plan metrics. The Committee, with guidance from FW Cook and Management, reviewed but did not change the peer group used for competitive market assessments in late 2024, which informed 2025 pay decisions. The final 2025 peer group approved by the Committee consisted of the following 16 companies:

•	AAR Corp.	•	Kratos Defense & Security Solutions Inc.
•	Ametek, Inc.	•	Mercury Systems Inc.
•	Barnes Group Inc.	•	Moog Inc.
•	BWX Technologies, Inc.	•	Parsons Corporation
•	Crane Co.	•	Teledyne Technologies Inc.
•	Hexcel Corp.	•	TransDigm Group Inc.
•	Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc.	•	Triumph Group, Inc.
•	ITT Inc.	•	Woodward Inc.

While the Committee reviews both peer group data and nationally recognized survey data from third party sources, the Committee primarily relies on peer group data for the CEO and CFO, while placing more focus on nationally recognized executive survey data from third party sources for the other NEOs. The Committee believes that due to the smaller number of peer matches and more robust sample size of the surveys, the latter provides more robust and reliable compensation data for roles other than the CEO and CFO.

Roles in determining 2025 Executive Compensation

Summarized in the table below are roles and responsibilities for executive compensation:

Groups Involved	Roles and Responsibilities
Executive Compensation Committee	• Determines the compensation levels for all participants including the executive officers annually • Oversees the administration of the Company’s incentive compensation programs and executive officer salaries. • Reviews competitiveness and business fit of overall incentive compensation plans, philosophy and policies • Oversees cost and design of the Company’s retirement plans and recommends changes to the full Board • Selects, oversees, and directs the activities of the external executive compensation consultant and ensures the independence of such consultant • Reviews and evaluates compensation plans and arrangements to assess whether they could encourage undue risk taking • Reviews and approves the personal and financial annual and long-term goals and objectives for the executive officers and the Company, evaluates the executive officers and the Company’s performance in light of those goals and objectives, and determines and approves all annual and long-term incentive compensation of the executive officers based on this evaluation
Board Members	• Oversee design and cost changes to the retirement plans
Independent Committee Consultant	• Provides advice on officer and board of directors compensation matters • Provides information on competitive market trends in general executive compensation as it impacts officers • Provides proposals for officer compensation programs, program design, including measures, goal setting, and pay and performance alignment and other topics as the Committee deems appropriate • Is directly accountable to the Committee, which has sole authority to engage, dismiss, and approve the terms of engagement of the compensation consultant
CEO	• Evaluates performance of the executive officers other than her own • Makes recommendations to the Committee regarding base salary, annual incentive compensation targets, long-term cash incentive compensation targets, and long-term equity compensation for the executive officers other than herself as well as all other participants in the Company’s incentive plans
Other Executives: CFO, VP of Total Rewards	• Makes recommendations to the CEO and Committee regarding officer annual and long-term incentive plan design and performance metrics • Provides officer compensation analysis in collaboration with the Committee’s independent consultant • Provides information and recommendations regarding board of director pay with oversight by the Committee’s independent consultant and the Committee on Directors and Governance

During 2025, FW Cook did not provide services to the Company other than services provided to the Committee as an independent advisor on executive and non-employee director compensation matters. The Committee assessed the independence of FW Cook in accordance with applicable rules of the New York Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission regarding independence of advisors to compensation committees. As part of this assessment, the Committee reviewed, among others, the independence and conflict of interest policies of FW Cook as well as FW Cook’s relationship with the Company and the members of the Committee. Based on this review and assessment, it is the Committee and the Company’s belief that the services provided by FW Cook were independent and free from any conflict of interest.

2025 Compensation Components

The table below summarizes each of the Company’s 2025 compensation components and its role in the Company’s compensation program.

Compensation Component	Role in the Executive Compensation Program
Base Salary	• Provides fixed compensation based on responsibility level, position held, job duties performance, years of experience in the position, and market value
Annual Incentive Compensation	• Motivates and rewards achieving annual financial and operational business objectives that are linked to the Company’s overall short-term business strategy
Long-Term Incentive Program	• Motivates participants to achieve longer-term financial goals that drive shareholder value through three components: 1. Performance-based restricted stock units (metric = relative TSR against the peer group – 40% weighted (provided to certain senior level executives) 2. Cash-based performance units (metrics = total sales growth and adjusted EPS growth) – 30% weighted (provided to all participants), and 3. Time-based restricted stock units (provided to all participants) – 30% weighted • Promotes stock ownership and aligns incentive awards with stockholder interests • Rewards achievement of longer-term (three year) business objectives that are linked to the Company’s overall longer-term business strategy and total return to stockholders; whereas the time-based restricted stock unit award encourages retention
Employee Stock Purchase Plan	• Allows substantially all full-time employees the ability to set aside money to purchase stock of the Company • Promotes stock ownership and aligns employees with stockholder interests
Executive Deferred Compensation Plan	• Permits deferral of compensation in excess of 401(k) statutory limits for tax advantaged savings • Provides officers and other executives with a savings opportunity comparable to other employees
Traditional Defined Benefit Pension Plan	• Promotes the long-term retention and financial health of employees to remain competitive with industry peers • Provides a defined benefit taking into consideration years of service, age and compensation
	Note: The Company’s traditional defined benefit pension plan is closed to new entrants. It will cease to provide accruals to existing participants at the end of 2028.

Compensation Component	Role in the Executive Compensation Program
Restoration (Pension and Savings) Plans	• Provides competitive retirement benefit • Promotes long-term retention of key executives by providing an increasing value tied directly to length of service
	Note: The Company’s traditional pension plan is closed to new entrants. It will cease to provide accruals to existing participants at the end of 2028.
401(k) Plan	• Provides all regular domestic employees (full-time and part-time) with the ability to set aside compensation on a pre-tax basis subject to IRS guidelines for investment in various investment vehicles under the plan • Provides added retirement benefit by way of a competitive matching contribution to those employees not participating in the Company’s traditional pension plan
Limited Executive Perquisites	• Provides a competitive level, business-related benefit to the Company and assists with key aspects of employment: health and financial wellness
Post-Employment Agreements	• Delivers temporary income following an NEO’s involuntary termination of employment. In the case of change-in-control, provides continuity of management.

2025 Compensation Decisions and the Basis for Decisions

Base Salary

Base salary is intended to compensate employees, including our NEOs, for performance of core job responsibilities and duties. Base salary drives other pay components in that it is used to determine target values for annual incentive compensation, long-term incentive compensation, retirement benefit calculations, severance protection, and change-in-control benefits.

The Committee determines and approves NEO salaries annually that reflect the value of the position measured by competitive market data, the NEOs’ individual performance, and the individual’s longer-term intrinsic value to the Company.

For 2025, the NEO’s base salaries were increased as shown in the table below:

NEO	2024 Base Salary		2025 Base Salary		% difference
Ms. Bamford	$	1,050,000	$	1,100,000		4.8	%
Mr. Farkas	$	612,200	$	655,100		7.0	%
Mr. Rayment	$	642,700	$	662,000		3.0	%
Mr. McDonald*		N/A	$	450,000		N/A
Mr. Watts	$	394,500	$	410,300		4.0	%

*	Mr. McDonald was not a NEO in 2024.

Annual Incentive Compensation

For 2025, the NEOs participated in the Curtiss-Wright Incentive Compensation Plan, as amended (“ICP”), which is a broad-based management incentive plan that was last approved by the Company’s stockholders in May 2023.

The Company believes that an important portion of the overall cash compensation for all participants in the incentive programs should be contingent upon the successful achievement of certain annual corporate financial and individual goals and objectives that contribute to enhanced shareholder value over time. Accordingly, 80% of each participant’s annual incentive target is tied to financial performance, while the remaining 20% is tied to significant individual goals and objectives.

Similar to the process described above to determine annual base salaries, the Committee annually establishes a target bonus opportunity for each NEO. For 2025, each NEO had the following target bonus opportunity:

NEO	2025 Target Bonus (% of Base Salary)
Ms. Bamford		130	%
Mr. Farkas		90	%
Mr. Rayment		90	%
Mr. McDonald		65	%
Mr. Watts		60	%

For the 2025 ICP, the Committee, in consultation with Management and FW Cook selected three financial measures and key individual performance-based objectives for all NEOs as summarized in the table below, which includes respective weightings and rationale for each measure:

SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Curtiss-Wright Corporation