BAE systems is a UK-based weapons manufacturer with three sites in Eastern Massachusetts. BAE Systems sells a wide array of weapons and military technologies to the Israeli, Saudi, and US militaries, and is also a major supplier of the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
As reported by AFSC Investigate, BAE systems runs a manufacturing site in Israel called "Rokar," which is "the sole supplier of flare- and chaff-dispensing systems to the Israeli Air Force." Israel uses BAE's flare- and chaff-dispensing systems in its "multiple combat aircraft and helicopters, including the F-15, F-16, and AH-64." AFSC Investigate notes that "BAE Systems collaborated with Lockheed Martin to develop the F-35 jets ordered by Israel," providing "the tail end of the F-35 jets, specifically the aft fuselage and empennage, and received a contract from Lockheed Martin in 2018 to manage the electronic warfare systems for the fighter jets." AFSC Investigate highlights that "F-16 fighter jets and Apache helicopters, both of which contain components manufactured by BAE Systems, have been used repeatedly in Israeli attacks on densely populated civilian areas," killing many thousands and destroying essential civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and Palestine. (See: here, here, here, here, here, here, and here.)
AFSC Investigate also reports that "BAE worked with Israeli state-owned military company Rafael to upgrade Rafael’s Typhoon stabilized weapons system (also known as Mk 38)." The Typhoon system is "mounted on the Israeli military’s unmanned naval Protector drone, which is used to maintain the siege of Gaza." Furthermore, BAE "developed the Silver Bullet, a precision guidance system for standard artillery, in close collaboration with the Israeli military." Israel has "equipped [its] IMI Systems M401 155mm cannon artillery with [this] Silver Bullet 2D fuse." AFSC highlights that Israel's Protector drone "is used to maintain the siege of Gaza along the Mediterranean coast, which has been ongoing since 2007."
AFSC Investigate further reports that "In 2014, BAE and Israeli military company IMI Systems (owned by Elbit Systems as of 2018) jointly offered to upgrade the M113 Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) of the Israeli military," noting that Israel used M113 Armored Personnel Carriers in its deadly 2014 aerial assault on Gaza. AFSC also notes that "In 2012, BAE and Elbit collaborated to offer a 155mm howitzer artillery system to the Israeli military," highlighting that "Human rights organizations have repeatedly documented the use of other 155mm artillery to kill civilians in Gaza (here and here)."
AFSC Investigate reports that "BAE manufactures and sells Tornado and Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, including a sale in March 2018 for 48 Typhoon jets," further noting, "According to Amnesty International, BAE personnel also remain in Saudi Arabia to support the company’s aircraft." AFSC Investigate specifically highlights a 2017 investigative report by the BBC which "revealed that BAE sold advanced cyber surveillance systems known as Evident to multiple repressive governments," including Saudi Arabia, as well as Saudi Arabia's Gulf allies, the UAE, Qatar, and Oman.
​Saudi Arabia is a literal monarchy which, according to Amnesty International, regularly harrassess, tortures, and executes women's rights activists, journalist, activists, relatives of activists, and members of the country's Shia minority. Armed with products from BAE and other military contractors, Saudi Arabia and its Gulf and Western allies (including the US) are presently engaged in a brutal campaign of airstrikes and blockade against Yemen, which has led to the deaths of thousands of civilians while precipitating conditions of mass starvation and an epidemic of Cholera amongst the Yemeni people.
BAE Systems is a major US military contractor, providing broad-scale support to the US Army, US Navy, US Air Force, and other branches of the US armed forces. To date, BAE Systems has won contracts from the US Department of Defense (DoD) worth a combined $90.01 billion. US DoD contracts awarded to BAE include this 2002-2030 contract worth $7.05 billion and this 2008-2020 contract with $4.07 billion, both for the provision of "tactical vehicle systems'' to the US Army, as well as numerous contracts worth over $1 billion each for the provision of "Land & Armament" systems to the US Army. Recently in 2021, BAE systems won a contract worth up to $600 million to supply the US Air Force with "support equipment for [its] international F-16 fleet aircraft." (See here for a full list of US DoD contracts awarded to BAE Systems.) BAE Systems also provides broad military support to allies of US Empire, including Australia.
In addition to arming the US military, BAE Systems has made $789.93 million to date through contracts with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The parent agency of US Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DHS oversees the federal government's domestic regime of tracking, detention, and deportations of Black and Brown migrants. BAE's contracts with DHS have included this 2007-2014 $69 million contract for the provision of "Information Technology Equipment System Configuration" technologies to DHS, as well as this 2014-2020 DHS contract worth $47 million categorized as "Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services." (See here for a full list of US DHS contracts awarded to BAE Systems.)
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AFSC Investigate reports that "In 2014, BAE and Israeli military company IMI Systems (owned by Elbit Systems as of 2018) jointly offered to upgrade the M113 Armored Personnel Carriers (APC) of the Israeli military." AFSC Investigate highlights that Israel used these M113 Armored Personnel Carriers in its deadly 2014 aerial assault on Gaza. AFSC also reports that "In 2012, BAE and Elbit collaborated to offer a 155mm howitzer artillery system to the Israeli military," highlighting that "Human rights organizations have repeatedly documented the use of other 155mm artillery to kill civilians in Gaza (here and here)."
BAE Systems has made $38.28 billion to date from US DoD contracts for the provision of products and services to the US Navy. Recently in January 2022, BAE systems won one contract worth up to $137 million "to provide lifecycle management and sustainment of the U.S. Navy's command, control, communications, computers, combat systems, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (C5ISR) systems."
BAE Systems has made $36.28 billion to date from US DoD contracts for the provision of products and services to the US Army. US DoD contracts awarded to BAE include this 2002-2030 contract worth $7.05 billion and this 2008-2020 contract with $4.07 billion to provide "tactical vehicle systems'' to the US Army, as well as numerous contracts each worth over $1 billion to provide "Land & Armament" systems to the US Army.
BAE Systems has made $10.27 billion to date through US DoD contracts for the provision of products and services to the US Air Force. Recently in 2021, BAE systems won a contract to worth up to $600 million to supply the US Air Force with "support equipment for [its] international F-16 fleet aircraft."
Weapons developer BAE Systems has received has made $789.93 million to date through contracts with the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The parent agency of US Immigration and Customs and Enforcement (ICE) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP), DHS oversees the federal government's domestic regime of tracking, detention, and deportations of Black and Brown migrants. BAE's contracts with DHS have included this 2007-2014 $69 million contract for the provision of "Information Technology Equipment System Configuration" technologies to DHS, as well as this 2014-2020 DHS contract worth $47 million categorized as "Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services." (See here for a full list of US DHS contracts awarded to BAE Systems.)
The MIT School of Engineering and MIT Lincoln Labs run the "MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute," "a rigorous, world-class STEM program for talented rising high school seniors," which "teaches STEM skills through project-based, workshop-style courses." Students participating in the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute in 2019 were able to choose between four-week project-based courses, which included one course in which students received instruction from BAE Systems staff. 2019 Summer Institute students who chose this BAE Systems course worked in small teams under the guidance of with MIT researchers and BAE Systems employees to design and build "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" (UAVs, i.e. drones), before competing against other teams in "racing challenges" using their respective UAVs at the end of the four-week program. In 2019, MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute students heard this presentation on "autonomous intelligence" by Dr. Jerry Wohletz from BAE Systems. In 2021, BWSI students heard from BAE Systems Vice President & General Manager Cheryl Paradis about her professional "journey" which led her to working at BAE.
BAE Systems' participation in the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is emblematic of the deep integration which exists between elite institutions of knowledge production (like MIT) and the US military industrial complex. From an early age, MIT and the weapons companies with whom it collaborates guide impressionable high school and middle school students with a passion for STEM toward careers building products of death and destruction such as unmanned land and aerial vehicles for weapons companies like BAE Systems.
MIT Career services has also featured job openings at BAE Systems in their listings for MIT students (see: here and here).
BAE Systems and General Dynamics have collaborated to "Modernize US Army Heavy Armored Vehicles," and have also collaborated to "manufacture new military bridges."
As reported by AFSC Investigate, "BAE Systems collaborated with Lockheed Martin to develop the F-35 jets ordered by Israel," providing "the tail end of the F-35 jets, specifically the aft fuselage and empennage, and received a contract from Lockheed Martin in 2018 to manage the electronic warfare systems for the fighter jets." AFSC Investigate highlights that Lockheed's "F-16 fighter jets and Apache helicopters, both of which contain components manufactured by BAE Systems, have been used repeatedly in Israeli attacks on densely populated civilian areas," killing many thousands and destroying essential civilian infrastructure in Lebanon and Palestine. (See: here, here, here, here, here, here, and here).
AFSC further notes that "In 2006, BAE worked with Lockheed Martin ... to market the Protector drone itself to the United States Navy." Most recently in 2021, BAE systems won a contract to worth up to $600 million to supply the US Air Force with "support equipment for [its] international F-16 fleet aircraft" produced by Lockheed Martin.
In 2014, Boston University hosted BAE Systems for an information session for BU students entitled "BAE Systems: Operations Leadership Development Program (OLDP) and the Engineering Leadership Development Program (ELDP) Information Session."
The MIT School of Engineering and MIT Lincoln Labs run the "MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute," "a rigorous, world-class STEM program for talented rising high school seniors," which "teaches STEM skills through project-based, workshop-style courses." Students participating in the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute in 2019 were able to choose between four-week project-based courses, which included one course in which students received instruction from BAE Systems staff. 2019 Summer Institute students who chose this BAE Systems course worked in small teams under the guidance of with MIT researchers and BAE Systems employees to design and build "Unmanned Aerial Vehicles" (UAVs, i.e. drones), before competing against other teams in "racing challenges" using their respective UAVs at the end of the four-week program. In 2019, MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute students heard this presentation on "autonomous intelligence" by Dr. Jerry Wohletz from BAE Systems. In 2021, BWSI students heard from BAE Systems Vice President & General Manager Cheryl Paradis about her professional "journey" which led her to working at BAE.
BAE Systems' participation in the MIT Beaver Works Summer Institute is emblematic of the deep integration which exists between elite institutions of knowledge production (like MIT) and the US military industrial complex. From an early age, MIT and the weapons companies with whom it collaborates guide impressionable high school and middle school students with a passion for STEM toward careers building products of death and destruction such as unmanned land and aerial vehicles for weapons companies like BAE Systems.
According to his LinkedIn profile, Jerry Wohletz is "vice president and general manager of the Electronic Combat Solutions business area within BAE Systems’ Electronic Systems sector," which "provides advanced electronic warfare capabilities to a broad portfolio that includes B-2, C-130, F-15, F-22, F-35, and the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile." Wohletz also serves on the Board of Advisors of MassChallenge.
Tufts University has listed job openings and internships at BAE Systems as "featured jobs" on the Tufts Career Center website (see here and here).