Editing BAE Systems (section)

==Criticism==
===Espionage===
In September 2003 ''The Sunday Times'' reported that BAE Systems had hired a private security contractor to collect information about individuals working at [[Campaign Against Arms Trade|CAAT]] and their activities.<ref>{{Cite news |title= How the woman at No 27 ran spy network for an arms firm |work=The Sunday Times |location=UK |publisher=Times Newspapers |page= 10 |date= 28 September 2003 <!--|access-date=28 November 2006-->}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |first=Mark |last=Thomas |title=Martin and me |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/04/bae.armstrade |work=The Guardian |location=London |publisher=Guardian Newspapers |date=4 December 2007 |access-date=4 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130901074033/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2007/dec/04/bae.armstrade |archive-date=1 September 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref> In February 2007, it was reported that the corporation had again obtained private confidential information from CAAT.<ref>{{Cite news |first=George |last=Monbiot |title=The parallel universe of BAE: covert, dangerous and beyond the rule of law |url=https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/feb/13/bae.foreignpolicy |work=The Guardian |location=London |publisher=Guardian Newspapers |date=13 February 2007 |access-date=4 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130831013507/http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2007/feb/13/bae.foreignpolicy |archive-date=31 August 2013 |url-status=live}}</ref>

The company was reported in 2012 to have been the target of Chinese [[cyber espionage]] that may have stolen secrets related to the F-35 Lightning II.<ref>{{cite news |date=12 March 2012 |title=Security experts admit China stole secret fighter jet plans |url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/security-experts-admit-china-stole-secret-fighter-jet-plans/story-fnb64oi6-1226296400154 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311221825/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/security-experts-admit-china-stole-secret-fighter-jet-plans/story-fnb64oi6-1226296400154 |archive-date=11 March 2012 |access-date=11 March 2012 |publisher=The Australian}}</ref>

In 2020 former employee Simon Finch, who became disillusioned when his reports of homophobic attacks in 2013 were not investigated properly, was convicted of a breach of the [[Official Secrets Act]], after "recording from memory highly sensitive details of a UK missile system."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-54877968|title=Simon Finch: Defence worker admits Officials Secrets Act breach|work=BBC News |date=9 November 2020}}</ref> In November 2020 he was sentenced to 4 years and 6 months in prison.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/former-defence-worker-jailed-for-longer-after-breaching-officials-secrets-act|title=Former defence worker jailed for longer after breaching Officials Secrets Act|website=GOV.UK}}</ref>

===Cluster bombs===
In 2003, BAE Systems was criticised for its role in the production of [[cluster bombs]], due to the long-term risk for injury or death to civilians. Following the 2008 Oslo [[Convention on Cluster Munitions]] BAE Systems was among the first defence contractors to stop their manufacture<ref>{{cite news |title=Do you make or sell cluster munitions? |url=http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_052468/cluster-bombs?_afrLoop=2997644007578000&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null#!%40%40%3F_afrWindowId%3Dnull%26_afrLoop%3D2997644007578000%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3Dwzijqwb8e_370 |newspaper=BAE Systems |access-date=19 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619174023/http://www.baesystems.com/article/BAES_052468/cluster-bombs?_afrLoop=2997644007578000&_afrWindowMode=0&_afrWindowId=null#!%40%40%3F_afrWindowId%3Dnull%26_afrLoop%3D2997644007578000%26_afrWindowMode%3D0%26_adf.ctrl-state%3Dwzijqwb8e_370 |archive-date=19 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.baesystems.com/BAEProd/groups/public/documents/bae_publication/bae_pdf_cr08_cr_panel.pdf |title=Corporate Responsibility Panel |access-date=17 April 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110611075402/http://www.baesystems.com/BAEProd/groups/public/documents/bae_publication/bae_pdf_cr08_cr_panel.pdf |archive-date=11 June 2011}}</ref> and by 2012 the majority of the munitions had been destroyed.<ref>{{cite news |last=Norton-Taylor |first=Richard |title=Most of Britain's cluster bomb stockpile has been destroyed, say activists |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/06/britain-cluster-bomb-stockpile-destroyed |date=6 September 2012 |access-date=19 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150619175230/http://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/sep/06/britain-cluster-bomb-stockpile-destroyed |archive-date=19 June 2015 |url-status=live}}</ref>

===Saudi war in Yemen===
{{Main|Saudi Arabian–led intervention in Yemen}}
Saudi Arabia is BAE's third-biggest market.<ref>"[https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-19/bae-s-annual-profit-shrinks-12-as-defense-spending-stagnates BAE Says Islamic State War Is Call to Arms for Weapons-Maker] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161221195654/https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-19/bae-s-annual-profit-shrinks-12-as-defense-spending-stagnates |date=21 December 2016}}". Bloomberg. 19 February 2015.</ref> ''The Independent'' reported that BAE-supplied aircraft were used to bomb Red Cross and MSF hospitals in Yemen."<ref>"[https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-un-human-rights-council-theresa-may-expel-she-should-enough-a7199066.html Theresa May should expel Saudi Arabia from the UN Human Rights Council, but that's not enough to absolve the UK] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170513121145/http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/saudi-arabia-un-human-rights-council-theresa-may-expel-she-should-enough-a7199066.html |date=13 May 2017}}". ''The Independent''. 19 August 2016.</ref> Sir Roger Carr rejected criticism over BAE's continued work in Saudi Arabia, saying "We will stop doing it when they tell us to stop doing it... We maintain peace by having the ability to make war and that has stood the test of time."<ref>"[https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/04/peace-activists-bae-systems-agm-saudi-arms-sales BAE chairman to peace activists: 'weapons sales encourage peace'] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160828192738/https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/may/04/peace-activists-bae-systems-agm-saudi-arms-sales |date=28 August 2016}}". ''The Guardian''. 4 May 2016.</ref> BAE Systems sold weaponry worth £17.6 billion to Saudi Arabia during the Yemen war.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2021-04-16-bae-systems-sold-weaponry-worth-17-6bn-to-saudis-during-yemen-war/|title=DECLASSIFIED UK: BAE Systems sold weaponry worth £17.6bn to Saudis during Yemen war|first=Phil|last=Miller|date=16 April 2021|website=Daily Maverick}}</ref>

===Israel's war in Gaza===
[[Direct action]] was taken against arms companies in the United Kingdom, including BAE Systems, that supplied weapons to [[Israel]] during the [[Gaza war]]. For instance, on 10 November 2023, trade unionists in [[Rochester, Kent|Rochester]], Kent, blocked the entrances to a BAE Systems factory, stating the facility manufactured military aircraft components used to bomb the [[Gaza Strip]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Luck |first1=Flaminia |title=Israel-Gaza: Union members block arms factory in protest over conflict |work=BBC News |date=10 November 2023 |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-67378052 |archive-date=10 November 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110162943/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-kent-67378052 |url-status=live }}</ref>

===Political influence and donations===
Former Foreign Secretary [[Robin Cook]] said of his time in office that he "came to learn that the chairman of BAE appeared to have the key to the garden door to [[10 Downing Street|number 10]]. Certainly I never knew No 10 to come up with any decision which would be incommoding to BAE."<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-firm-with-a-back-door-key-to-number-10-1796377.html |title=The firm with a 'back door key to Number 10' |newspaper=The Independent |access-date=2 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170407053440/http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/news/the-firm-with-a-back-door-key-to-number-10-1796377.html |archive-date=7 April 2017 |url-status=live}}</ref>

In the United States BAE Systems is a significant political donor to both Democratic and Republican candidates and organisations.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ralph |first1=Alex |last2=Greenwood |first2=George |title=Donations to US election candidates linked to British companies |url=https://www.thetimes.com/world/us-world/article/donations-linked-to-companies-06tj6hw8v |website=[[The Times]] |access-date=5 June 2021}}</ref> In 2016 its [[political action committee]] (PAC) contributions were the second largest of any foreign corporation after [[UBS]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Knigge |first1=Michael |title=Foreign-connected PACs spent $10 million on the US election so far |url=https://www.dw.com/en/foreign-connected-pacs-spent-10-million-on-the-us-election-so-far/a-19297597 |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=DW}}</ref> In January 2021 following the [[2021 United States Capitol attack]] BAE Systems announced that it was suspending political donations in the US. On 30 March it once again began making large political contributions, including one to the [[National Republican Senatorial Committee]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Gould |first1=Joe |date=4 June 2021 |title=Defense firms quietly resume political giving after post-insurrection pause |url=https://www.defensenews.com/congress/2021/06/04/defense-firms-quietly-resume-political-giving-after-post-insurrection-pause/ |access-date=5 June 2021 |publisher=Defense News}}</ref>