Arms giant BAE Systems posts record profits in blood money

Arms giant BAE Systems has posted record profits for 2025. In short, it’ll be yachts and third homes for the elites while the world burns. Yay! The Independent reported:

Europe’s biggest defence contractor reported better-than-expected underlying earnings before interest and taxes of £3.32 billion for 2025, up 12% on the previous year, as sales jumped 10% to a record high of £30.66 billion.

Recent global instability means the firm has a massive backlog of orders as nation states scramble to arm themselves:

The aerospace and weapons manufacturer said its order backlog also hit a record £83.6 billion as of the end of December while its order intake stood at £36.8 billion.

The This is Money website was extra jovial about the news:

Analysts at broker AJ Bell also point to conflict in the Middle East and heightened geopolitical tensions for BAE’s ‘stunning run’.

The shares have trebled since Russian tanks rolled across the Ukrainian border four years ago.

‘Stunning run’… okay fellas.

BAE Systems have a record breaking backlog?

BAE boss Charles Woodburn said:

Our results highlight another year of strong operational and financial performance, thanks to the outstanding dedication of our employees.

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.

He added:

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.

BAE Systems reported sales to many countries across Europe and beyond. This included kit sold to authoritarian governments like Qatar.

Starmer’s big spend

This could even increase over the next year as the UK’s Keir Starmer promised to ramp up defence spending. His pledge followed demands by US president Donald Trump that Europe do more.

Stop the War Coalition were having none of it:

This is part of a massive European arms drive aimed at appeasing Trump as he demands Europe pay more for its own defence.

The additional cost comes at a time when we are told to accept cuts to pensions, to wages and to public services, while much of what is spent will go directly into the coffers of US arms manufacturers.

Arms firms thrive in conditions of chaos and war. In fact instability is self-evidently in their interest. And nobody understands this better than they do… It’s on the rest of us to defy and challenge the kind of militarist, profit seeking logic which is running rampant in these febrile times.

Featured image via the Canary