"Strong performance": BAE Systems profits rise as staff support HMS Prince of Wales deployment from Portsmouth
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A defence giant has announced a “strong” financial performance after aiding the Royal Navy flagship’s deployment from Portsmouth.
BAE Systems’ has published its half year results with rising profits and revenues. The company employs 3,500 people across the Solent area, with staff responsible for supporting and maintaining Portsmouth-based Royal Navy ships at base and on operations. During those duties, they played a vital role in preparing HMS Prince of Wales for Operation Highmast.
Chief executive Charles Woodburn said: “Our teams have delivered another strong operational and financial performance in the first half of the year, giving us the confidence to upgrade our guidance. In this heightened global threat environment, we continue to deliver mission critical capabilities to armed forces around the world and invest in our people, technologies and facilities to drive the improved efficiency, capacity and agility needed to meet the increasing demand for our highly relevant products and services. The breadth and depth of our geographic and product portfolio, together with our trusted track record of delivery, strengthen our confidence in the positive momentum of our business.”
The company announced a nine per cent rise in revenue from the six months ending in June 2025, compared to the previous period in 2024. This has increased from £12.47bn to £13.57bn. Operating profit climbed from £1.296bn to £1.327bn, a two per cent increase.
BAE Systems said teams of highly skilled engineers and technologists at sites across Portsmouth and the Isle of Wight, also deliver and support radar, underwater weapons and training. It added: “They played a critical role in preparing Royal Navy ships for the eight-month Carrier Strike Group deployment to the Indo-Pacific.
“Staff also delivered the Company’s all-electric Malloy T-150 multi-rotor Un-crewed Air System (UAS) to the Royal Navy to transport vital supplies between the Carrier Strike Group ships for the first time during the ongoing deployment, and hosted and coordinated the latest Formidable Shield exercise, carrying out a number of scenarios to test the capability of the Carrier Strike Group.”
The company is pushing ahead with shipbuilding in Scotland for its City-class Type 26 frigates. Due to replace their Type 23 counterparts, the submarine-hunting warships are set to play a vital role in the Royal Navy by patrolling the High North.