Top 10 Defence Companies: BAE Systems #3
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Representing the UK, BAE Systems makes it to number three on the list of biggest defence companies.
Headquartered in London, UK, BAE is the largest defence contractor in Europe and one of the biggest defence companies in the world. The company was formed in 1999 with the merger of British Aerospace (BAe) and Marconi Electronic Systems (MES) in a $7.7 billion deal.
The company operates from a number of bases globally, including Australia, India, Saudi Arabia, UK and USA. The American market has been a relatively new focus for the British defence contractor but its US subsidiary, BAE Systems Inc., is winning major contracts in the key North American market.
Last year BAE was in talks with EADS, the other European superpower in defence and number 7 in the list of the biggest defence companies in the world, about a mega-merger to rival Boeing as the biggest aerospace firm but an agreement could not be reached.
BAE is on the frontline of many of the industry’s major programmes including the Lightning II F-35 in partnership with Lockheed Martin. It also peddles the European consortium’s Eurofighter Typhoon.
Here are some stats and facts based on the most recent financial data:
Country UK
Arms sales (US$ m.) 29,150
Total sales (US$ m.) 30,689
Total profit (US$ m.) 2,349
Total employed 93,500
Ticker symbol LSE: BA
CEO Ian King
Website http://www.baesystems.com/
Based on data from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI)
