BAE Systems, the defense contractor and Top 100 MSSP for 2017, is cutting 1,915 jobs but also sharpening its focus on cybersecurity services.
According to a prepared statement from the company:
"A revised organisational structure will create strengthened Air, Maritime and Land sectors and remove management layers including the Platforms & Services (P&S) UK and P&S International operating groups. Technology remains a key priority for the Group, and a new Chief Technology Officer role will join the Executive Committee to focus on our investments, developments and exploitation of technologies across our products, services and operations."
Moreover, the proposed Applied Intelligence cybersecurity restructuring "will drive continued growth from a more targeted portfolio of products and services focussed on providing leading cybersecurity, intelligence and financial crime prevention capabilities to government and commercial customers in priority geographic markets," the company asserted.
BAE Systems: Combination MSSP, IT Security Consultant... And Defense Contractor
BAE Systems has defended the networks, data and devices of governments and corporations for over 40 years. The company's managed security services were ranked No. 13 on our Top 100 list for 2017. Moreover, BAE's consulting revenues were $290 million in 2016, up about 14.2 percent from 2015, according to Gartner's ranking of the Top 10 Cybersecurity Consulting Firms Worldwide.
Still, BAE's core defense contractor business is under competitive pressure. The company plans to cut its Military Air and Information and Maritime Services workforce to align capacity more closely with current and expected orders.
BAE employs 34,600 people in the UK, nearly half of its 83,000-strong global workforce, according to Sky.com. The 1,915 job cuts apparently involve weaker-than-expected demand for the so-called Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft, with ongoing uncertainty about the timing of a potentially large order from Saudi Arabia, Sky.com added.
