People gather at the BAE Systems' booth during the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) Global Force Symposium & Exposition in Huntsville, Alabama, U.S. March 28, 2023. REUTERS/Cheney Orr/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsLONDON, Aug 17 (Reuters Breakingviews) - BAE (BAES.L) is showing off its deep pockets. On Thursday, the $37 billion maker of war ships and armored vehicles said it will splurge over $5.5 billion in cash on Ball Corp’s (BALL.N) aerospace arm. BAE CEO Charles Woodburn beat off private equity bidders including Blackstone (BX.N) to seal the deal, which bulks up his exposure to civil and military space surveillance solutions. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

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Persons: Cheney Orr, Ball, Charles Woodburn, Woodburn, Woodburn’s pricey, Aimee Donnellan, EY’s loveless, Neil Unmack, Streisand Neto Organizations: BAE Systems, Association of, United States Army, Global, REUTERS, Reuters, BAE, Blackstone, Ball Aerospace, Twitter, TPG, Thomson Locations: Huntsville , Alabama, U.S