WEAPONS FIRMS are some of the largest and most influential entities in the UK – with one even sitting on the Prime Minister’s business council.
They are certainly one of the biggest employers. According to the ADS group – a trade association representing the aerospace, defence, security and space industries – the defence sector directly employs 147,500 people in the UK.
Spending by the Ministry of Defence with UK companies, meanwhile, was more than £25 billion alone last year, while the same firms won orders of over £12bn in exports worldwide in 2022.
This has included sales to Israel amid its war on Gaza – with the UK Government facing increased calls to suspend arms sales with more than 34,000 Palestinians killed since October 7.
But who are the companies behind this enormous industry – who are the main players?
BAE Systems
2023 sales: £25.3 billion
Number of employees: 45,700 (in UK alone)
Founded in 1999 by the merger of British Aerospace and Marconi Electronic Systems, BAE Systems is the UK’s largest arms manufacturer and also ranks sixth biggest in the world.
The firm also has sites across Scotland, with more to come including the construction of a new "frigate factory" in Glasgow.
It was also one of the recipients of Scottish Enterprise funding. The national economic development agency has given close to £10m to arms firms which supply weapons to Israel between 2016 and 2020, including £1.6m to BAE Systems.
The firm has come under particular fire of late for producing various components of weapons which are sold to Israel, including the MK 38 Mod 2 machine gun system and the f-35 combat aircraft which has reportedly been used in the nation’s assault on Gaza.
It is also involved in several major defence joint ventures, including the production of the Eurofighter Typhoon and F-35 Lightning II fighter jets, the Astute-class nuclear submarines, and the HMS Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.
Leonardo
2023 sales: €17.9bn (or £15.4bn)
Number of employees: Over 51,000 (and over 8000 in the UK)
Leonardo, the Italian aerospace and defence player, has an enormous presence in the UK with over 8000 people employed across the UK – including 2000 in Edinburgh.
With orders totalling €17.9bn (or £15.4bn) in 2023, it is the 12th biggest arms firm in the world.
The Italian arms giant also received taxpayers’ money from Scottish Enterprise, and was the company to receive by far the most – receiving £7m from Scottish Enterprise between 2016 and 2020.
Of note, Leonardo makes components for Apache attack helicopters and delivered 30 Aermacchi M-346 aircraft to the Israeli Air Force in 2016.
Laser targeting systems fitted to F35 fighter jets for the Israeli military are made at the factory on Edinburgh's Ferry Road (above).
Raytheon Technologies
2023 sales: $68.9bn (or £55.6bn)
Number of employees: 185,000 (and 2000 in the UK)
This US military and industrial giant specialises in the aerospace and defence industries. The second biggest arms firm in the world behind Lockheed Martin, a significant part of its annual revenues is provided by orders from the US Government.
In total, the company services almost three dozen air forces around the world. Raytheon enterprises are involved in the production of weapons that are already in service with the Ukrainian army, in particular the Patriot air defence system.
It also maintains a strong UK presence with 2000 full-time employees – including more than 600 people in Glenrothes, Fife.
The firm makes systems for Paveway smart bombs, which have previously been used in Gaza by the Israeli military. Raytheon was also given around £100,000 by Scottish Enterprise between 2016 and 2020.
Rolls Royce
2023 sales: £15.4bn (roughly £4 billion of which is arms sales)
Number of employees: 42,000 (half of which are in UK)
Rolls-Royce Holdings plc is also one of the UK largest arms firms, despite it being only roughly 30% of its business in terms of revenue.
In fact, Rolls-Royce is the world's second-largest maker of aircraft engines and was even the world's 26th largest defence contractor in 2022 according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.
The company is also reportedly involved in providing parts for the US F-35 stealth combat aircraft, which are currently being used by Israel to bomb Gaza.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel