Europe’s largest missile maker company has been selling key components for bombs, which have been shipped to Israel, as they used them in airstrikes on Gaza, killing thousands of Palestinians, according to a Guardian report.
Concerns have been raised about the extent to which European companies have been benefiting from the killings in Gaza.
A Guardian investigation with the independent newsrooms Disclose and Follow the Money detailed how the GBU-39 bomb generated by the US arm MBDA flew through the United Kingdom.
Here’s how they are doing it
There’s a factory in Alabama, US, owned by MBDA, which produces “wings”, that are fitted to the Boeing-made GBU-39. After being launched, these wings allow the bomb to be guided to its target.
The revenues from the MBDA sailed through MBDA UK, which is based in Hertfordshire, England, and then shared the profits with the MBDA group at its France headquarters. According to the report, the European largest missile maker company distributed almost £350 million in dividends in 2024 to its three shareholders, including Britain’s biggest defence firm BAE Systems, France’s Airbus, and Italy’s Leonardo.
This came to light as UK Foreign Minister David Lammy suspended some weapons export licenses to Israel in September, citing the risk of “serious violations” of international humanitarian law.
He stressed that the suspension is aimed at targeting “items which could be used in the current conflict in Gaza”.
However, as the outlet investigated, it was verified that there have been 24 cases in which the GBU-39 was deployed in attacks that have killed several civilians. Moreover, each one included children among those killed.
Later, the company MBDA confirmed that they had a contract with Boeing for the wings. It said that they “comply with all relevant national and international laws applicable to the arms trade in the countries in which it operates…all of whom have export policies and operate robust export control regimes”.