BAE Systems has a 37.5% stake in the MBDA joint venture with Airbus and Leonardo.[i] MBDA is the prime contractor for the French ASMPA and ASN4G cruise missiles. BAE Systems also supports the sustainment of the U.S. ICBM inventory, is contracted for work on the submarine-launched Trident missiles and builds the new UK Dreadnought class submarines.
[i] About Us (no date) | MBDA Systems. Available at: https://www.mbda-systems.com/about-us/ (Accessed: 20 August 2025); DSTA and MBDA deepen partnership to advance counter unmanned aerial systems capabilities. MBDA, 6 May 2025. Available at: DSTA and MBDA deepen Partnership to advance Counter Unmanned Aerial Systems Capabilities | MBDA.
Nuclear weapons
BAE Systems is involved in three nuclear weapon arsenals: those of France, the United Kingdom and the United States.
BAE Systems is part of the MBDA joint venture. MBDA France is the prime contractor for the ASMPA medium-range air-to-ground nuclear armed missile for the French nuclear arsenal.[i] MBDA is also contracted by the French government for work related to development of the ASMPA-successor, the ASN4G.[ii] The new weapon is scheduled to enter service in 2035 with a range of 1,000km, double that of the ASMPA, and will incorporate new hypersonic technologies.[iii]
MBDA subsidiary Roxel develops and manufactures solid propulsion systems and other items for rockets and tactical and cruise missiles, including the ASMPA and the M51 submarine-launched ballistic missiles.[iv]
BAE Systems is the prime contractor for the U.S. Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) integration support.[v] In 2022, BAE Systems received an 18-year, $12 billion contract to continue supporting the sustainment of the US' ICBM inventory.[vi] The contract provides for services support for both the Minuteman III and its replacement, the Sentinel. In August 2024, however, after several bid protests to the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Air Force cancelled the contract altogether.[vii] A new contract is currently under development, where the Sentinel and Minuteman III programs will be merged under one directorate.[viii] In the meantime, BAE Systems will continue its work under the contract awarded in 2022.
BAE Systems has a second outstanding contract for work on the ICBM systems since 2013.[ix] In January 2025, the U.S. Air Force awarded BAE Systems a contract extension until July 2027 of nearly $1.2 billion, bringing the cumulative face value of the contract to $2.6 billion.[x]
BAE Systems is also contracted by the U.S. government for work on the U.S. and UK Trident II D5 strategic weapon systems, under a contract potentially valued at $580.1 million.[i] It also has two outstanding contracts for engineering and integration support services for the Trident weapon systems, with a combined potential value of $228 million.[ii] In May 2025, BAE Systems received a $7.9 million contract modification for work on the U.S. nuclear armed, Sea-Launched Cruise Missile (SLCM-N) Program.[iii] The missile is intended for deployment on U.S. Virginia class attack submarines by 2034.[iv]
BAE Systems is part of the Dreadnought Alliance, a joint management team between the Submarine Delivery Agency (SDA) of the British Ministry of Defence, BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce.[v] BAE Systems is the lead for the whole boat build and secondary propulsion and is also the platform technical authority on the Dreadnought programme.[vi] In May 2022, the Ministry of Defence announced it had awarded additional contracts for the Dreadnought programme of over £2 billion to BAE Systems and Rolls-Royce, as an initial investment within a planned overall total of £10 billion for the whole delivery phase.[vii] BAE Systems also has an outstanding contract, valued at $40.1 million, for work on U.S. Columbia-class nuclear armed submarines.[viii]
[i] CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC.| USAspending, 1 October 2021. Available at: https://www.usaspending.gov/award/CONT_AWD_N0003022C6001_9700_-NONE-_-NONE- (Accessed: 22 August 2025); Contracts for September 30, 2021 (2022) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 22 August 2025); Contracts for September 18, 2023 (2023) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 22 August 2025); Contracts for November 15, 2023 (2023) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 22 August 2025).
[ii] CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC.| USAspending, 1 October 2023. Available at: CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC. | USAspending (Accessed: 7 April 2026); Contracts for September 21, 2023 (2023) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 7 April 2026) and CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC.| USAspending, 1 October 2024. Available at: CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC. | USAspending (Accessed: 7 April 2026); Contracts for November 6, 2024 (2024) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 7 April 2026).
[iii] CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC.| USAspending, 1 October 2021. Available at: CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC. | USAspending (Accessed: 22 August 2025); Contracts for May 27, 2025 (2025) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 22 August 2025).
[iv] ‘Integration on Virginia-class subs the ‘greatest risk’ for nuclear sea-launched cruise missile: Navy official’, Breaking Defense, 21 May 2025. Available at: Integration on Virginia-class subs the 'greatest risk' for nuclear sea-launched cruise missile: Navy official - Breaking Defense.
[v] Alliance partners (no date) | Dreadnought Alliance. Available at: Alliance partners - Dreadnought Alliance (Accessed: 22 August 2025).
[vi] Ibid.
[vii] More than £2 billion to boost UK submarine programme. Government of the United Kingdom, 9 May 2022. Available at: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/more-than-2-billion-to-boost-uk-submarine-programme.
[viii] IDV to BAE SYSTEMS LAND & ARMAMENTS L.P.| USAspending, 18 January 2023. Available at: IDV to BAE SYSTEMS LAND & ARMAMENTS L.P. | USAspending (Accessed: 22 August 2025); Contracts for January 18, 2023 (2023) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 22 August 2025).
[ix] CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC.| USAspending, 1 August 2013. Available at: CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC. | USAspending (Accessed: 21 August 2025); Contracts for July 31, 2014 (2014) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 21 August 2025); Contracts for January 31, 2023 (2023) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: https://www.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract/Article/3284067/ (Accessed: 21 August 2025).
[x] CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC.| USAspending, 1 August 2013. Available at: CONTRACT to BAE SYSTEMS TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS & SERVICES INC. | USAspending (Accessed: 7 April 2026); Contracts for January 30, 2025 (2025) U.S. Department of Defense. Available at: > U.S. Department of Defense > Contract (Accessed: 21 August 2025).
Last updated: 2026-06-08 14:19:29