Sales up 10%, revenue increasing by 8% and an order book that’s grown by 2.7% to £63.1bn are reported by BAE Systems as the defence company announced its full year results for 2025.
14,500 people work for the company’s submarines division in Barrow where the keel of HMS Dreadnought, the first of four Dreadnought Class submarines under construction for the Royal Navy, was laid last year.
The company also highlighted contracts to supply Turkey with Typhoon fighter jets anticipated to be worth £4.6bn in a move which will sustain production in the years to come, helping to sustain 20,000 jobs across the UK.
“Our results highlight another year of strong operational and financial performance, thanks to the outstanding dedication of our employees,” Charles Woodburn, BAE Systems Chief Executive, said. “In a new era of defence spending, driven by escalating security challenges, we’re well positioned to provide both the advanced conventional systems and disruptive technologies needed to protect the nations we serve now and into the future. With a record order backlog and continuing investment in our business to enhance agility, efficiency and capacity, we’re confident in our ability to keep delivering growth over the coming years.”
But the results have been criticised as ‘obscene’ by the Unite union which is currently embroiled in a pay dispute with the company. Workers at BAE’s Lancashire factories in Warton and Salmesbury are taking industrial action over pay.
“BAE needs to give its workers a fair piece of the pie,” Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said. “BAE’s profits are little short of obscene. The company is making billions from government contracts and yet refuses to pay our members what they are worth. This is completely unacceptable – without the skilled work of our members, the company doesn’t make money.”
BAE’s board has recommended a final dividend of 22.8p, taking the total dividend for 2025 to 36.3p – an increase of 10% on last year.
