Babcock is the 3rd largest UK-headquartered arms and military services company and the 40th largest in the world, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). Headquartered in London, Babcock has its early roots in Babcock & Wilcox Ltd, a 19th century industrial engineering firm. The company was a major supplier to the UK military and defence forces during both world wars. It was renamed Babcock International Ltd in 1979.
Babcock posted 2025 global revenues of UK£ 4.8 billion, 74% of which it reports was from defence clients. Babcock’s primary markets are the UK, accounting for 71% of its revenues, followed by Australia (8%), South Africa (7%), Canada (3%), and France (2%). It has four key thematic markets: Marine, Nuclear, Land and Aviation. UK Defence clients make up the single largest block of customers in each of these divisions, ranging from 38% of Aviation customers to 87% of Nuclear customers. Babcock counts 27,700 employees globally and over 150 subsidiaries. Most of these are in the UK and its other key market countries, though it also has subsidiaries in countries including Ukraine, Germany, Ghana, and Mozambique. Babcock has applied for UK export licenses to Israel, Russia, the US, France, India, South Africa, Thailand, Canada, and Germany.
Marine vehicles and naval support
Babcock’s naval business involves both shipbuilding and the provision of services and infrastructure report.
Babcock’s services for the UK military include supporting and maintaining the UK’s Vanguard class submarines that carry Trident nuclear missiles. Babcock is also involved in the design phase of the new Dreadnought nuclear weapons submarines currently under construction, which will replace the Vanguard fleet and carry the new version of Trident. This includes designing the weapons handling and launch system.
Babcock is the lead company producing the UK’s new generation of five Type 31 frigates; it won a contract in 2019 to build the ships at its Rosyth, Scotland facility. Versions of the frigate will also be produced under a design licence from Babcock in Indonesia and Poland. In 2020, the Ukrainian government ordered eight fast attack missile boats from Babcock for a reported UK£ 1.25 billion, reportedly financed by the UK government, according to Intelligence Online.
Babcock has produced five vessels used in Operation Sophia, a 2015 operation to shut down migration routes in the Mediterranean. Three were operated by the UK and two operated by Ireland, according to research by the Transnational Institute.
Regarding services and infrastructure, Babcock provides support services to Royal Navy naval bases. In Devonport, these include fleet time engineering, facilities management, waterfront services, logistics and transport. Babcock owns the Rosyth dockyards, where various Babcock shipbuilding contracts are carried out, including for the Royal Navy’s frigate HMS Venturer.
Further afield, in 2016, Babcock launched a joint venture with Duqm Naval Dockyard (DND), to maintain UK and Omani war ships; there is a UK Joint Logistics Support Base in Duqm. In 2021, Babcock obtained a licence to export two Arrowhead frigates to Indonesia, signing a further letter of intent to provide more equipment in 2025.
Babcock also provides training services for non-UK Navies. In 2019, Intelligence Online reported that Babcock had been providing training to Royal Saudi Navy (RSN) officers working with the Saudi subsidiary of BAE Systems.
Babcock sells weapons handling and launch systems for warships and submarines in Australia, Canada, South Korea and Spain, among others.
Land vehicles and simulation training
Babcock produces a range of military land vehicles. These include the Armoured Land Cruiser 300, 700 of which are currently being used by the UK government, and the Jackal (High Mobility Transporter 400), over 600 of which have been used by UK troops in Afghanistan over the past 15 years. It has also built a new mortar vehicle, the Ground Deployed Advanced Mortar System (GDAMS), which can be mounted on a Jackal. Primarily for use by the UK military, it is also being “primed for export.” Babcock has provided armoured vehicles to the Royal Army of Oman, according to a 2023 Intelligence Online report.
Babcock also provides combat simulation and battlefield simulation training. It showcased its Babcock Immersive Training Experience (BITE) simulation package in 2025; it is designed to “deliver realistic exercises” to land troops. In 2023, Babcock announced it won a contract to provide the UK Army with an e-learning package to assist soldiers in recognising vehicles and helicopters on the battlefield.
Aircraft and aviation training
Babcock’s aviation business comprises both the provision of aircraft and unmanned aerial systems (drones) and training and support services. A selection of its contracts is highlighted below.
In 2023, Babcock France signed an MOU with UK-based Aeralis to explore the operation of flexible aircraft ‘as a service’. In 2025, Babcock announced that it was providing two new mission-modified helicopters to Australia’s Border Force with a support package to support its border force in surveiling the Torres Strait. Babcock Australasia has provided Australian Border Force with pilots, surveillance and maintenance on rotary wing aircraft in the Torres Strait for close to 30 years, according to a press release. The company operates 18 helicopters from eight bases supported by 500-plus staff across Australia. In January 2025, Babcock won a € 800 million contract with Dassault Aviation to train French Air and Space Force pilots.
With Lockheed Martin, Babcock delivers the UK Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS), which prepares Royal Air Force pilots, via jointly-owned company Ascent Flight Training. Babcock has also provided jet flight training to the French air force.
Babcock produces its own drones and is a member of consortia exploring drone technologies. Babcock produces the LUA (Lightweight Unmanned Aircraft) drone, currently used by civilian agency clients in Spain. In 2024, Babcock partnered with PteroDynamics Inc. to explore opportunities for tactical unmanned aerial systems (UAS) in Australia and New Zealand.
