BAE Systems, Britain’s biggest defence company, has urged the UK government to publish its delayed defence spending blueprint quickly. CEO Charles Woodburn said the Defence Investment Plan (DIP), expected since late 2025, is needed for companies to plan and invest confidently. "The sooner the better as far as we’re concerned," Woodburn said on Wednesday. The company posted its best-ever sales topping £30 billion, a 10% rise from last year, driven by huge global demand after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. BAE’s shares jumped 3.8%, helping push the FTSE 100 index to a record high. BAE makes tanks, planes, warships, missiles, and artillery. Its order backlog hit a record £83.6 billion, reflecting high demand from NATO allies. Woodburn said, "It’s hard to escape the sense that the brutal conflict in Ukraine has fast-tracked more than a decade’s worth of defence technology evolution into just a few years." Labour leader Keir Starmer called for higher, sustained UK defence spending at the Munich Security Conference, stressing, "We must build our hard power because that is the currency of our age." Woodburn expressed confidence that British industry can meet rising defence needs if the government provides clear spending plans. BAE recently won big contracts, including £4.6 billion from Turkey for 20 Typhoon jets and orders from Norway for Type 26 frigates. Analysts expect profits to rise up to 11% next year. The company raised its dividend and secured £36.8 billion in new orders, increasing its share value over £60 billion this year as defence budgets grow worldwide.