The Business Behind the Bomb: MBDA’s Role in the GBU-39 Supply Chain
The GBU-39: A “Precision” Weapon With a Devastating Impact
The GBU-39 small diameter bomb, manufactured by Boeing, is equipped with deployable “wings” that allow it to glide with high precision. These wings are produced by MBDA Incorporated, MBDA’s US arm located in Alabama. Once the wings are fitted, the bomb can be launched from fighter jets with deadly accuracy—though not always on legitimate military targets.
The GBU-39 has been heralded by US officials as a “cleaner” alternative to larger bombs due to its smaller payload (under 250 lbs). Yet in densely populated areas like Gaza, even this “lightweight” weapon has caused mass civilian casualties.
Profits Flowing Through the UK
How Revenue From US Sales Reaches European Shareholders
Although production occurs in the US, revenues from MBDA’s Alabama factory flow through MBDA UK—headquartered in Hertfordshire, England—and are then distributed to the parent companies in Europe. In 2024 alone, MBDA paid out £350 million in dividends to its shareholders.
This means British, French, and Italian stakeholders are directly profiting from the very weapons linked to strikes in which hundreds of civilians, including children, were killed—even after the UK government suspended certain arms exports to Israel.
MBDA has confirmed its contract with Boeing but insists it “complies with all applicable arms trade laws and export controls.” Critics argue, however, that the system’s complexity creates legal loopholes and dilutes accountability.
Verified Cases: GBU-39 Strikes That Killed Civilians
24 Strikes Verified; 100+ Children Among the Dead
A joint investigation by The Guardian, Disclose, and Follow the Money, along with weapons analysts and open-source intelligence, verified at least 24 GBU-39 strikes in Gaza where civilians were killed—including over 100 children.
Case Study: Fahmi al-Jarjawi School, Gaza City – 26 May 2025
At 2 AM, a GBU-39 bomb tore through the roof of a school sheltering displaced families. 36 people were killed, half of them children. A five-year-old girl, Hanin al-Wadie, was the sole survivor from her immediate family. Severely burned, she later required evacuation to Jordan for urgent care.
“When she walks, she says she is afraid to step on the bodies,” said her uncle, a nurse who stayed by her hospital bed.
Footage from the aftermath showed distinctive bomb fragments with markings and wing components identified by arms experts as coming from the GBU-39.
International Law and Humanitarian Violations
War Crimes Concerns Mount
Multiple strikes involved schools, tent camps, homes, and even a mosque during morning prayers—sites where civilians were known to be sheltering. Human rights organizations including Amnesty International and the UN have called for investigations, citing potential violations of international humanitarian law.
Amnesty’s senior investigator Donatella Rovera noted:
“Even where military targets exist, the obligation to minimize civilian harm remains. Striking a school full of displaced families, without warning, is a grave breach of legal and moral responsibility.”
UK’s Export Controls: Symbolic or Substantive?
Suspension Limited to UK-Origin Equipment
In September 2024, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy paused certain weapons export licences to Israel, citing risk of complicity in breaches of international law. However, this action only applies to military equipment exported from UK soil—not to foreign sales by British-owned companies, such as MBDA’s Alabama factory.
Campaigners argue that this distinction effectively undermines the intent of the ban. The government’s decision notably excludes key components like the F-35 jet, and now, evidently, GBU-39 parts.
Corporate Ethics and Shareholder Risks
Growing Scrutiny of MBDA Owners: BAE, Airbus, Leonardo
The revelations could pose reputational and legal risks for MBDA’s major shareholders:
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BAE Systems (UK)
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Airbus (France)
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Leonardo (Italy)
With growing public backlash, especially in the wake of child casualties, stakeholders could face increased pressure from investors, regulators, and human rights advocates. Questions are also being raised within the EU Parliament and among corporate social responsibility watchdogs.
Scaling Up Use: Data Suggests Surge in 2024
From sporadic use in late 2023, the deployment of GBU-39s in Gaza surged in 2024, according to Armament Research Services. Among the most catastrophic:
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Kuwaiti Peace Camp 1 in Rafah (May 2024)
45 dead, including a toddler and a woman who were decapitated.
A fire engulfed the camp, reportedly sparked by secondary explosions. -
Bureij Refugee Camp (Nov 2023)
15–30 dead in an overnight strike; 9 children among the deceased.
UN investigations flagged the attack as a possible violation of humanitarian law.
A Call for Transparency and Reform
This investigation raises urgent questions about the role of European defense firms in global conflicts, especially those involving high civilian casualties. As calls grow for greater transparency, stricter export controls, and corporate accountability, companies like MBDA must reckon with their place in the chain of destruction.
Without structural reforms in arms trade regulations—both national and international—the cycle of profit from conflict will continue unchecked, with devastating human consequences.