Company / Unmanned Systems
BAE Systems
British defence, aerospace and security group with a growing portfolio of uncrewed systems.
London, United KingdomUnmanned Systems systems
About the company
About BAE Systems
BAE Systems plc is a British defence, aerospace and security company headquartered in London with around 90,000 employees worldwide. Its US subsidiary BAE Systems, Inc. employs about 35,000 people and supplies the US government.
The group delivers products and services for air, land, sea and space, including combat aircraft, armoured vehicles, warships and submarines, munitions, advanced electronics, intelligence and security solutions.
In February 2024 BAE Systems acquired the British heavy-lift drone maker Malloy Aeronautics and integrated it into FalconWorks, its research and development arm for the air domain. The company also produces the APKWS laser-guided rocket, which is increasingly used against drones.
In the news8 stories
Counter-UAS with microwaves and hypervelocity projectiles: BAE Systems presents MDACS and HPM
At AUSA 2026 in Washington, BAE Systems is pursuing two paths against drone swarms and missile attacks: kinetic effect with MDACS and directed energy via HPM – a dual approach to counter-UAS for which no orders or timelines have yet been named.
Counter-UAS against swarms: EOS and MARSS rely on “human on the loop”
The acquisition by EOS creates a supplier of turnkey counter-UAS solutions. Founder Johannes Pinl explains why humans only supervise during swarm attacks – and what role lasers, cost logic and interceptor drones play.
Counter-UAS with 70 mm rockets: Belgian F-16s test the FZ275 LGR, which the Bundesheer is also receiving
For counter-UAS use, the Belgian Luchtmacht has tested Thales Belgium's FZ275 LGR guided rocket on F-16s near Lombardsijde on the North Sea coast. This is relevant for Austria: the same weapon is to arm the Bundesheer's AW169MA and M-346FA.
Counter-drone defence with the Eurofighter: BAE Systems fires APKWS II from Typhoon for first time
At a British training range, a Royal Air Force Typhoon has fired APKWS II guided rockets for the first time. For counter-drone defence, price is what matters most: the laser-guided weapon costs only a fraction of modern air-to-air missiles.
Counter-drone defence with APKWS II: BAE Systems wins US Air Force contract for new rocket variant
Laser plus infrared in the seeker: BAE Systems is to deliver a new variant of the APKWS II rocket for counter-drone defence. The ceiling is around 122 million euros, the delivery order around 56 million. The European counterpart used by Austria's Bundesheer is also being developed further.
Drone industry: BAE Systems and Turkish Aerospace explore strategic UAS alliance
A memorandum of understanding is set to bring BAE Systems and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) together on unmanned systems. The drone industry partners are splitting the roles: TAI contributes development and production, BAE Systems sales in Europe.
Drone start-up Hydra Drones: MBDA takes a minority stake
European defence group MBDA is investing a six-figure sum in British drone start-up Hydra Drones. Its heavy-lift transport drone, the Hydra 400, carries up to 400 kilograms, and a complete prototype is due later this year.
Ground drone Atlas CCV: BAE Systems Australia unveils autonomous 8×8 vehicle
Keeping soldiers out of the danger zone and complementing crewed infantry fighting vehicles and tanks at lower cost: with this ground drone, BAE Systems Australia is betting on autonomy off-road as well as on the road.