BAE Systems Air Sector is at the heart of the UK combat air industry. From our manufacturing heartland in the North of England, our footprint reaches all regions of the United Kingdom and delivers substantial benefit to our national economy.
Economic Prosperity
The UK combat air sector is an economic powerhouse. As a whole, the sector has an annual turnover of more than £6bn and is responsible for more than 85% of defence exports. Programmes across the sector have provided high quality jobs for decades, with programmes such as Typhoon creating a ripple effect across the broader nation. Tempest is set to continue this trend, ensuring our sovereign combat air programmes continue to deliver economic vitality for the UK for decades to come.
contribution to GDP
Jobs supported across the UK
contribution through exports
Typhoon
The Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the most successful UK defence programmes, bringing export sales worth double the £12 billion invested by the UK Government, with the potential for more to come.
Tempest
Tempest is creating and sustaining highly skilled jobs, driving investment in research and development and benefitting hundreds of companies throughout the supply chain, contributing to the long term economic prosperity of the UK.
The impact of BAE Systems Air Sector on the UK economy
Research by Oxford Economics found the Air Sector's contributions to the UK in 2023 reached £5 billion in revenue and £2.6 billion in exports, whilst spending on their UK supply chain reached £2.5 billion.
Download the report to learn more about the Air Sector's contribution to the UK economy.
Skills
The industry has a long history of deep commitment to fostering skills, training, and opportunities for apprentices and graduates, ensuring a robust pipeline of talent for the future.
Our combat air programmes provide meaningful careers for tens of thousands of people, from engineers to technologists and those just starting out in their careers. These jobs, often requiring specialist skills and training, drive high productivity, leading to greater investment in infrastructure, training and education, further underpinning economic growth.
UK suppliers
We rely heavily on a network of suppliers to deliver our complex and high-tech programmes. From local supply chain owners to major global partnerships, we’re working together to pioneer technology, build skills, create jobs, and inspire future generations - as part of a vast ecosystem that thrives on innovation and purpose. In doing so, we create a powerful ripple effect across our supply chain, and through jobs, training and investment, we help to contribute to regional and national growth.
Air suppliers in the UK
Annual spend on supply chain
SME suppliers in the UK
Providing critical safety equipment which protects sensitive parts of the Eurofighter Typhoon whilst in flight is being delivered from is a key part of business for aerospace specialists Hutchinson Stop-Choc.
Tucked away where river meets Irish Sea, the small town of Preesall in a quiet corner of coastal Lancashire seems an unlikely place to find an integral part of the UK aerospace supply chain.
Advancing UK technology
In partnership with leading universities across the United Kingdom, we are harnessing knowledge and cross-discipline thinking to turn research into reality in areas such as AI, quantum mechanics, manufacturing, cyber and aerospace. With new technologies come new industries, which brings social opportunity in jobs, supply chains and skills. The UK stands proudly as an international powerhouse in science and technology, and we’re proud to be key enablers in delivering sovereign capability for defence and beyond.
Our contribution to the UK
Download Our contribution to the UK brochure to understand the national impact of our business, core programmes
and operations on the UK economy.
- Core programmes and their contributions
- Skills and lifelong learning
- Supporting national supply chains
- Advancing UK technology
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