British Arms Industry Giant Reaps Huge Windfall Amid Russia, China Tensions

Authored by Connor Freeman via The Libertarian Institute, 

Amid the surge in NATO members’ navy spending because of the warfare in Ukraine, BAE Systems announced that – through the first half of this 12 months – its internet earnings soared with a 57 p.c enhance. The British arms trade big reported its large windfall on Wednesday.

BAE Systems said its income swelled to 11 billion kilos, a rise of 13 p.c, whereas earnings after taxes elevated to 965 million kilos ($1.2 billion) through the first six months of 2023. This is in contrast with 615 million kilos in the identical interval final 12 months.

Chief Executive Charles Woodburn declared “Our global footprint… and leading technologies enable us to effectively support the national security requirements and multi-domain ambitions of our government customers in an increasingly uncertain world.”

In a separate video that accompanies the corporate’s earnings assertion, he acknowledges the earnings are immediately associated to international destabilization and Western overseas insurance policies, notably these of London and Washington, geared toward Russia and China. Woodburn says “I’m particularly proud of our support to Ukraine… We’ve delivered an excellent set of results.”

In November, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley said that Ukrainian forces had already suffered over 100,000 casualties, killed or wounded, to date within the proxy warfare with Russia, together with hundreds extra civilians killed.

Woodburn’s euphoria relating to the “excellent results” however, Ukraine has lost roughly 20 p.c of its territory because the Russian invasion started final February. Moreover, Kiev’s lengthy awaited counteroffensive has seen massive losses in navy gear and armor, in addition to personnel little doubt, whereas no vital features have been made.

Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported “When Ukraine launched its big counteroffensive this spring, Western military officials knew [Kiev] didn’t have all the training or weapons — from shells to warplanes — that it needed to dislodge Russian forces. But they hoped Ukrainian courage and resourcefulness would carry the day. They haven’t. Deep and deadly minefields, extensive fortifications and Russian air power have combined to largely block significant advances by Ukrainian troops. Instead, the campaign risks descending into a stalemate with the potential to burn through lives and equipment.”

The video continues with Woodburn boasting of additional earnings which can be reaped because of BAE’s position within the major military buildup within the Asia-Pacific targeting Beijing. “We’ve secured significant orders for combat vehicles… and the selection of the UK’s design for AUKUS.”

AUKUS is a trilateral navy pact formed in 2021 between Washington, London, and Canberra which can see Canberra buying nuclear-powered assault submarines which can be used to patrol waters close to China’s shores. The three nations are presently finishing up the largest iteration of the US-Australia Talisman Sabre warfare video games, once more eyeing Beijing. AUKUS will seriously undermine the Non-Proliferation Treaty as these submarines run on 90 p.c or extra enriched uranium, weapons-grade ranges.

The most worthwhile insurance policies for the arms trade are sometimes probably the most harmful for civilians, such was the case in Saudia Arabia’s genocidal warfare in opposition to the Yemeni folks, strongly supported by Washington and London. According to the UN, a minimum of 377,000 folks have been killed on this warfare, together with principally youngsters and infants, because of the total blockade imposed by Riyadh on northern Yemen and its devastating bombing campaign in opposition to civilian infrastructure.

In 2020, The Guardian reported “Britain’s leading arms manufacturer BAE Systems sold £15bn worth of arms and services to the Saudi military during the last five years, the period covered by Riyadh’s involvement in the deadly bombing campaign in the war in Yemen.” By the next 12 months, BAE’s gross sales to Riyadh, because the Gulf kingdom launched its invasion, had elevated by 2.5 billion pounds.

According to The Defense Post, subsequent to the corporate’s announcement on Wednesday, shares in BAE rallied 4.5 p.c in early London buying and selling. Andy Chambers, a director on the analysis group Edison, affirmed “Leading [defense] contractor BAE Systems posted a very strong set of results… benefiting from a general rearmament among NATO countries as the war in Ukraine grinds on.”

In January, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists admonished that the chance of nuclear annihilation has by no means been greater.