LONDON: The chief of Britain's biggest defense company said he was encouraged by the outlook for orders of the Typhoon fighter jet in the Middle East.
But BAE Systems forecast flat earnings overall in 2018 as it adjusted to lower production of the aircraft.
“The opportunity pipeline - in terms of campaigns in Europe and in the Middle East is as good as we’ve seen it,” BAE Systems’ CEO Charles Woodburn said
in a webcast following the announcement of the UK-headquartered company’s annual results.
“It certainly encourages us we will see growth coming into the next decade in Typhoon production,” he said.
His comments come as Typhoon production has slowed, at the cost of jobs, with the company announcing last October it would make nearly 2000 job cuts, due in part to a lack of jet orders.
BAE’s earnings statement released on Feb. 22 said that overall sales of airborne vehicles is expected to be 5 percent lower due to the completion of Typhoon contracts with Europe, Saudi Arabia and Oman.
Last year, the first eight Typhoon and all eight Hawk aircraft for Oman were delivered. The four remaining Typhoon aircraft are due to be delivered this year.
Typhoon support service packages are now helping deliver more revenue than aircraft production, and this is an area that is expected to grow, said Woodburn.
However, he said he expected Typhoon production will start to stabilize in coming years, particularly due to the confirmed £5 billion contract with Qatar, secured last December, to supply 24 Typhoon aircraft.
“We continue to pursue further export opportunities which if secured would drive growth back,” he said in his presentation.
Woodburn’s optimism could revive hopes in the industry that there might be progress on the much-anticipated, but yet to materialize deal to sell 48 Typhoons to Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia accounted for 16 percent of BAE Systems’ total sales last year, with the US remaining the company’s biggest market accounting for 39 percent of sales.
Overall, BAE Systems’ sales were up by £0.6 billion to reach £19.6 billion in 2017. Operating profit decreased to £1.48 billion from £1.74 billion recorded in 2016.
“With an improving outlook for defence budgets in a number of our markets, we are well placed to generate good returns for shareholders,” Woodburn said in an official statement.
The company decided on a final dividend of 13 pence per share, making a total of 21.8 pence per share for the year, marking an increase on 2 percent on 2016.
BAE Systems chief sees encouraging outlook for Typhoon orders in Middle East
BAE Systems chief sees encouraging outlook for Typhoon orders in Middle East
QatarEnergy announces force majeure following Iran attacks: statement
DOHA: Qatar’s state-run energy firm on Wednesday declared force majeure following attacks on two of its main facilities that halted liquefied natural gas production and as Iran pressed missile and drone attacks across the Gulf.
“Further to the announcement by QatarEnergy to stop production of liquefied natural gas and associated products, QatarEnergy has declared Force Majeure to its affected buyers,” the company said in a statement.
QatarEnergy invoked the clause, which shields it from penalties and potential breach of contract claims from clients, after stopping LNG production on Monday.
Iranian drones attacked two of the company’s main production hubs in Ras Laffan Industrial City, 80 km north of Doha and in Mesaieed 40 km south of the Qatari capital, Doha’s ministry of defense said at the time.
The Gulf state is one of the world’s top liquefied natural gas producers, alongside the US, Australia and Russia.
On Tuesday, QatarEnergy said it would halt some downstream production of some products including urea, polymers, methanol, aluminum and others.
Qatar shares the world’s largest natural gas reservoir with Iran.
QatarEnergy estimates the Gulf state’s portion of the reservoir, the North Field, holds about 10 percent of the world’s known natural gas reserves.
In recent years, Qatar has inked a series of long-term LNG deals with France’s Total, Britain’s Shell, India’s Petronet, China’s Sinopec and Italy’s Eni, among others.
