Editing BAE Systems (section)

===Others===
[[File:Regele Ferdinand Frigate 22.jpg|thumb|150px|[[Romanian frigate Regele Ferdinand|HMS ''Coventry'']] was one of two frigates sold to Romania.]]

In September 2005 ''The Guardian'' reported that banking records showed that BAE Systems paid £1&nbsp;million to [[Augusto Pinochet]], the former Chilean dictator.<ref name="Pinochet">{{Cite news |first1= David |last1= Leigh |last2= Evans |first2= Rob |title= Revealed: BAE's secret £1m to Pinochet |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/15/bae.freedomofinformation |work= The Guardian |location= UK |publisher= Guardian Newspapers |date= 15 September 2005 |access-date= 27 October 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130829175630/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2005/sep/15/bae.freedomofinformation |archive-date= 29 August 2013 |url-status= live}}</ref> ''The Guardian'' has also reported that "clandestine arms deals" have been under investigation in Chile and the UK since 2003 and that British Aerospace and BAE Systems made a number of payments to Pinochet advisers.<ref>{{Cite news |first=Jonathan |last=Franklin |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jul/12/chile.drugstrade |title= Pinochet and son deny selling cocaine to Europe and US |work= The Guardian |location= London |publisher= Guardian Newspapers |date= 12 July 2006 |access-date= 14 August 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130830071946/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jul/12/chile.drugstrade |archive-date= 30 August 2013 |url-status= live}}</ref>

BAE Systems is alleged to have paid "secret offshore commissions" of over £7&nbsp;million to secure the sale of [[HMS London (F95)|HMS ''London'']] and [[Romanian frigate Regele Ferdinand|HMS ''Coventry'']] to the [[Romanian Navy]]. The company received a £116&nbsp;million contract for the refurbishment of the ships prior to delivery;<ref>{{Cite news |first=David |last=Leigh |last2=Evans |first2=Rob |url= https://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jun/15/bae.armstrade |title=Bribery inquiry may force £7m refund to Romania |work=The Guardian |location= London |publisher=Guardian Newspapers |date=15 July 2006 |access-date=14 August 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130830053939/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2006/jun/15/bae.armstrade |archive-date=30 August 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> however, the British taxpayer only received the scrap value of £100,000 each from the sale.<ref>David Leigh and Rob Evans, [https://www.theguardian.com/armstrade/story/0,,1796377,00.html "We paid three times too much for UK frigates, Romania says"]. ''[[The Guardian]]'', 13 June 2006.</ref>

BAE Systems ran into controversy in 2002 over the abnormally high cost of a radar system sold to [[Tanzania]].<ref>{{cite news |title= Tanzania could seek radar refund |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6324169.stm |work=BBC News |date= 2 February 2007 |access-date=19 February 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070212160344/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/6324169.stm |archive-date= 12 February 2007 |url-status= live}}</ref><ref name="gdn101219">{{cite news|last=Leigh|first=David|date=19 December 2010|title=WikiLeaks cables: Tanzania official investigating BAE 'fears for his life'|work=The Guardian|location=UK|url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/19/wikileaks-cables-tanzania-bae-fears|url-status=live|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170209073156/https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/dec/19/wikileaks-cables-tanzania-bae-fears|archive-date=9 February 2017}}</ref> The sale was criticised by several opposition MPs and the [[World Bank]];<ref>{{cite news |title= Tanzania radar sale 'waste of cash' |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2044206.stm |work= BBC News |date= 14 June 2002 |access-date= 19 February 2007 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20021028010503/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/2044206.stm |archive-date= 28 October 2002 |url-status= live}}</ref> [[Secretary of State for International Development]] [[Clare Short]] declared that BAE Systems had "ripped off" developing nations.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8284073.stm "BAE Systems faces bribery charges"] {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091002003652/http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/8284073.stm |date=2 October 2009}}. BBC News, 1 October 2009.</ref><ref>{{Cite news |title=BAE's government-backed rip-off |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2009/oct/01/bae-deal-blair-sfo |work=The Guardian |location= UK |date=1 October 2009 |access-date=1 October 2009 |first=Clare |last=Short |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20091004205504/http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/oct/01/bae-deal-blair-sfo |archive-date= 4 October 2009 |url-status= live}}</ref>

In January 2007, details of an investigation by the SFO into BAE Systems' sales tactics in regard to South Africa were reported, highlighting the £2.3&nbsp;billion deal to supply Hawk trainers and Gripen fighters as suspect.<ref>{{cite news |title= BAE South African deal 'probed' |url= http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6255725.stm |work=BBC News |date= 12 January 2007 |access-date=12 January 2007 |first=Martin |last=Plaut |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20070116053801/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6255725.stm |archive-date= 16 January 2007 |url-status= live}}</ref> In May 2011, as allegations of bribery behind South Africa's Gripen procurement continued, the company's partner Saab AB issued strong denials of any illicit payments being made; however, in June 2011 Saab announced that BAE Systems had made unaccounted payments of roughly $3.5&nbsp;million to a consultant; this revelation prompted South African opposition parties to call for a renewed inquiry.<ref>Zander, Christina. [https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704904604576334822960474968 "Saab Denies South African Bribe Claim".] {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20170709033747/https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052748704904604576334822960474968 |date=9 July 2017}} ''The Wall Street Journal''. 20 May 2011.</ref><ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13813281 "Call for new South African arms deal investigation."] {{Webarchive|url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121223173023/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-13813281 |date=23 December 2012}} ''BBC News'', 17 June 2011.</ref> The Gripen's procurement by the Czech Republic was also under investigation by the SFO in 2006 over allegations of bribery.<ref name="Guardian 292006">{{Cite news|date=29 November 2006|title=FAQ: The investigation|work=The Guardian|publisher=Guardian Newspapers|location=London|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/29/business.politics1|url-status=live|access-date=16 November 2007|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130830220148/http://www.theguardian.com/uk/2006/nov/29/business.politics1|archive-date=30 August 2013}}</ref>