Company registration number: 03866330
COMPANY INFORMATION
CONTENTS
STRATEGIC REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
BlueBear develops, integrates and improves new technology to meet changing customer needs. Serving the global defence and aerospace markets with products, services and solutions. BlueBear holds a close relationship with DSTL and Front-Line Commands providing cutting edge R&D and integration services. In line with its extant strategy, the Company continues to explore the UK and overseas markets in the areas of autonomous systems, sensors, and associated technologies for uncrewed systems.
World events have created unprecedented demand for defence equipment, and BlueBear capabilities contribute to both Saab UK and Saab AB’s global growth. Additional potential for new real estate and infrastructure is being negotiated to enable a controlled but limited expansion, providing space for up to 120 staff, and additional R&D facilities.
Organisational changes are being planned to ensure efficiency and continue to align the business with Saab UK following the acquisition.
Organisational changes are being planned to ensure efficiency and continue to align the business with Saab UK following the acquisition.
The two largest customers for the Company are currently UK MOD and Saab AB. In the view of the directors, this provides the Company with stability and balance. Expansion into overseas markets will provide additional opportunities for growth and increase resilience. There are strong ties with UK MOD and the Department for Business & Trade which allow the Company to anticipate UK needs. Uncertainty regarding the Government’s approach to addressing the economic crisis and its execution of the Strategic Defence Review, is balanced by the diversity of the product portfolio offering and the growing need for UK defence investment in areas in which BlueBear excels.
2024 saw continued growth for BlueBear. Turnover increased year on year driven by our growth in local operations within our defence business. 2024 was a difficult year for UK MOD funding, but going into the FY the order books were strong and the business was fully utilised. We expect to see this position continue until mid/late 2025, and until after the Strategic Defence Review has concluded. This will continue to have a negative effect on order intake from UK MOD and our profitability going forward for 2025. However, following SDR, we expect to see UK MOD release a number of large projects.
The directors are cognisant of and compliant with their collective duty to deliver shareholder value to its parent, Saab AB, while optimising BlueBears beneficial impact for all stakeholders.
BlueBear personnel are fundamental to its ongoing success, and it is the company’s policy to provide
attractive compensation, benefits and working conditions.
The company’s sustainability agenda includes our commitment to Net Zero CO2 emissions by 2050
and is delivered through a wide range of initiatives.
The directors are committed to delivering social value through its operations, including employee wellbeing, equal opportunity, climate change and targeted economic benefits through its supply chain.
Innovation is key to the ongoing success of the company and the directors are committed to working with academia and other bodies in research and development.
The directors are active in all of the relevant industry bodies and the company is present at many trade shows exhibitions.
BlueBear personnel are fundamental to its ongoing success, and it is the company’s policy to provide
attractive compensation, benefits and working conditions.
The company’s sustainability agenda includes our commitment to Net Zero CO2 emissions by 2050
and is delivered through a wide range of initiatives.
The directors are committed to delivering social value through its operations, including employee wellbeing, equal opportunity, climate change and targeted economic benefits through its supply chain.
Innovation is key to the ongoing success of the company and the directors are committed to working with academia and other bodies in research and development.
The directors are active in all of the relevant industry bodies and the company is present at many trade shows exhibitions.
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STRATEGIC REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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DIRECTORS' REPORT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
The directors present their report and the financial statements for the period ended 31 December 2024.
The directors are responsible for preparing the Strategic report, the Directors' report and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and regulations.
In preparing these financial statements, the directors are required to:
∙select suitable accounting policies for the Company's financial statements and then apply them consistently;
∙make judgments and accounting estimates that are reasonable and prudent;
∙prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the Company will continue in business.
The directors are responsible for keeping adequate accounting records that are sufficient to show and explain the Company's transactions and disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the Company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the Company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities.
The profit for the period, after taxation, amounted to £556,348 (2023 - £617,269).
The directors who served during the period were:
The future developments of the business are disclosed in the strategic report.
There have been no significant events affecting the Company since the period end.
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DIRECTORS' REPORT (CONTINUED)
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
The auditors, Menzies LLP, will be proposed for reappointment in accordance with section 485 of the Companies Act 2006.
This report was approved by the board and signed on its behalf.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BLUE BEAR SYSTEMS RESEARCH LTD
We have audited the financial statements of Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd (the 'Company') for the 15 month period ended 31 December 2024, which comprise the Statement of comprehensive income, the Statement of financial position, the Statement of cash flows, the Statement of changes in equity and the related notes, including a summary of significant accounting policies. The financial reporting framework that has been applied in their preparation is applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards, including Financial Reporting Standard 102 ‘The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland' (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice).
We conducted our audit in accordance with International Standards on Auditing (UK) (ISAs (UK)) and applicable law. Our responsibilities under those standards are further described in the Auditors' responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements section of our report. We are independent of the Company in accordance with the ethical requirements that are relevant to our audit of the financial statements in the United Kingdom, including the Financial Reporting Council's Ethical Standard and we have fulfilled our other ethical responsibilities in accordance with these requirements. We believe that the audit evidence we have obtained is sufficient and appropriate to provide a basis for our opinion.
In auditing the financial statements, we have concluded that the directors' use of the going concern basis of accounting in the preparation of the financial statements is appropriate.
Based on the work we have performed, we have not identified any material uncertainties relating to events or conditions that, individually or collectively, may cast significant doubt on the Company's ability to continue as a going concern for a period of at least twelve months from when the financial statements are authorised for issue.
Our responsibilities and the responsibilities of the directors with respect to going concern are described in the relevant sections of this report.
The other information comprises the information included in the annual report other than the financial statements and our Auditors' report thereon. The directors are responsible for the other information contained within the annual report. Our opinion on the financial statements does not cover the other information and, except to the extent otherwise explicitly stated in our report, we do not express any form of assurance conclusion thereon. Our responsibility is to read the other information and, in doing so, consider whether the other information is materially inconsistent with the financial statements or our knowledge obtained in the course of the audit, or otherwise appears to be materially misstated. If we identify such material inconsistencies or apparent material misstatements, we are required to determine whether this gives rise to a material misstatement in the financial statements themselves. If, based on the work we have performed, we conclude that there is a material misstatement of this other information, we are required to report that fact.
We have nothing to report in this regard.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BLUE BEAR SYSTEMS RESEARCH LTD (CONTINUED)
In our opinion, based on the work undertaken in the course of the audit:
∙the information given in the Strategic report and the Directors' report for the financial 15 month period for which the financial statements are prepared is consistent with the financial statements; and
∙the Strategic report and the Directors' report have been prepared in accordance with applicable legal requirements.
In the light of the knowledge and understanding of the Company and its environment obtained in the course of the audit, we have not identified material misstatements in the Strategic report or the Directors' report.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BLUE BEAR SYSTEMS RESEARCH LTD (CONTINUED)
Our objectives are to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements as a whole are free from material misstatement, whether due to fraud or error, and to issue an Auditors' report that includes our opinion. Reasonable assurance is a high level of assurance, but is not a guarantee that an audit conducted in accordance with ISAs (UK) will always detect a material misstatement when it exists. Misstatements can arise from fraud or error and are considered material if, individually or in the aggregate, they could reasonably be expected to influence the economic decisions of users taken on the basis of these financial statements.
Irregularities, including fraud, are instances of non-compliance with laws and regulations. We design procedures in line with our responsibilities, outlined above, to detect material misstatements in respect of irregularities, including fraud. The extent to which our procedures are capable of detecting irregularities, including fraud is detailed below:
•The Company is subject to laws and regulations that directly affect the financial statements including financial reporting legislation. We determined that the following laws and regulations were most significant including UK Companies Act, employment law, health and safety, pensions legislation and tax legislation.
•We understood how the Company is complying with those legal and regulatory frameworks by making inquiries to management and those responsible for legal and compliance procedures. We assessed the extent of compliance with these legal and compliance procedures as part of our procedures on the related financial statement items.
•The engagement partner assessed whether the engagement team collectively had the appropriate competence and capabilities to identify or recognize non-compliance with laws and regulations. The assessment did not identify any issues in this area.
•We assessed the susceptibility of the Company’s financial statements to material misstatement, including how fraud might occur. We identified the risk of override of controls as the area where the financial statements were most susceptible to material misstatement due to fraud. Audit procedures performed by the engagement team included:
•Identifying and assessing the design effectiveness of controls management has in place to prevent and detect fraud;
•Understanding how those charged with governance considered and addressed the potential for override of controls or other inappropriate influence over the financial reporting process;
•Challenging assumptions and judgments made by management in its significant accounting estimates; and
•Identifying and testing journal entries, in particular any journal entries posted with unusual account combinations.
The assessment did not identify any issues in these areas.
Because of the inherent limitations of an audit, there is a risk that we will not detect all irregularities, including those leading to a material misstatement in the financial statements or non-compliance with regulation. This risk increases the more that compliance with a law or regulation is removed from the events and transactions reflected in the financial statements, as we will be less likely to become aware of instances of non-complance. The risk is also greater regarding irregularities occurring due to fraud rather than error, as fraud involves intentional concealment, forgery, collusion, omission or misrepresentation.
A further description of our responsibilities for the audit of the financial statements is located on the Financial Reporting Council's website at: www.frc.org.uk/auditorsresponsibilities. This description forms part of our Auditors' report.
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INDEPENDENT AUDITORS' REPORT TO THE MEMBERS OF BLUE BEAR SYSTEMS RESEARCH LTD (CONTINUED)
This report is made solely to the Company's members, as a body, in accordance with Chapter 3 of Part 16 of the Companies Act 2006. Our audit work has been undertaken so that we might state to the Company's members those matters we are required to state to them in an Auditors' report and for no other purpose. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we do not accept or assume responsibility to anyone other than the Company and the Company's members, as a body, for our audit work, for this report, or for the opinions we have formed.
for and on behalf of
Chartered Accountants
Statutory Auditor
Richmond House
Walkern Road
Herts
SG1 3QP
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STATEMENT OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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STATEMENT OF FINANCIAL POSITION
AS AT 31 DECEMBER 2024
The financial statements were approved and authorised for issue by the board and were signed on its behalf on 5 December 2025 .
The notes on pages 15 to 28 form part of these financial statements.
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STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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STATEMENT OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 30 SEPTEMBER 2023
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STATEMENT OF CASH FLOWS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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ANALYSIS OF NET DEBT
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Blue Bear Systems Research Ltd is a private company, limited by shares, registered in England and Wales. The Company's registered number and registered office address can be found on the Company Information page.
2.Accounting policies
The financial statements have been prepared under the historical cost convention unless otherwise specified within these accounting policies and in accordance with Financial Reporting Standard 102, the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and the Republic of Ireland and the Companies Act 2006.
The financial statements cover a period of 15 months from 1 October 2023 to 31 December 2024, as the reporting period has been extended to align with the parent company's financial year-end. As a result, the comparative amounts presented in the financial statements, including the related notes, are for a 12-month period and are therefore not entirely comparable.
Functional and presentation currency
Transactions and balances
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
Grants of a revenue nature are recognised in the Statement of comprehensive income in the same period as the related expenditure.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
Depreciation is charged so as to allocate the cost of assets less their residual value over their estimated useful lives, see below.
Depreciation is provided on the following basis:
The assets' residual values, useful lives and depreciation methods are reviewed, and adjusted prospectively if appropriate, or if there is an indication of a significant change since the last reporting date.
Gains and losses on disposals are determined by comparing the proceeds with the carrying amount and are recognised in profit or loss.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
2.Accounting policies (continued)
Basic financial assets
Basic financial assets, which include trade and other debtors, cash and bank balances, are initially measured at their transaction price (adjusted for transaction costs except in the initial measurement of financial assets that are subsequently measured at fair value through profit and loss) and are subsequently carried at their amortised cost using the effective interest method, less any provision for impairment, unless the arrangement constitutes a financing transaction, where the transaction is measured at the present value of the future receipts discounted at a market rate of interest.
Discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial. The Company's cash and cash equivalents, trade and most other debtors due with the operating cycle fall into this category of financial instruments.
Basic financial liabilities
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the Company after the deduction of all its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, which include trade and other creditors, bank loans and other loans are initially measured at their transaction price (adjusting for transaction costs except in the initial measurement of financial liabilities that are subsequently measured at fair value through profit and loss). When this constitutes a financing transaction, whereby the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest, discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at their amortised cost using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods and services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Trade creditors are classified as current liabilities if the payment is due within one year. If not, they represent non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are initially recognised at their transaction price and subsequently are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial.
Financial liabilities and equity instruments are classified according to the substance of the contractual arrangements entered into. An equity instrument is any contract that evidences a residual interest in the assets of the Company after the deduction of all its liabilities.
Basic financial liabilities, which include trade and other creditors, bank loans and other loans are initially measured at their transaction price (adjusting for transaction costs except in the initial measurement of financial liabilities that are subsequently measured at fair value through profit and loss). When this constitutes a financing transaction, whereby the debt instrument is measured at the present value of the future payments discounted at a market rate of interest, discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial.
Debt instruments are subsequently carried at their amortised cost using the effective interest rate method.
Trade creditors are obligations to pay for goods and services that have been acquired in the ordinary course of business from suppliers. Trade creditors are classified as current liabilities if the payment is due within one year. If not, they represent non-current liabilities. Trade creditors are initially recognised at their transaction price and subsequently are measured at amortised cost using the effective interest method. Discounting is omitted where the effect of discounting is immaterial.
Expenditure on research and development is written off in the period in which it is incurred. Expenditure on research and development is primarily employee costs.
Amounts recoverable on contracts, which are included in debtors, are stated at the net sales value of the work done after provisions for contingencies and anticipated future losses on contracts, less amounts received as progress payments on account. Excess progress payments are included in creditors as payments received on account.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
Analysis of turnover by country of destination:
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
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The company operates a defined contribution pension scheme. Contributions payable to the company's pension scheme are charged to the income statement in the period to which they relate.
The Company operates a defined contributions pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the Company to the fund and amounted to £421,565 (2023 - £268,230). Contributions totalling £22,854 (2023 - £33,888) were payable to the fund at the reporting date and are included in creditors.
The Company operates a defined contributions pension scheme. The assets of the scheme are held separately from those of the Company in an independently administered fund. The pension cost charge represents contributions payable by the Company to the fund and amounted to £421,565 (2023 - £268,230). Contributions totalling £22,854 (2023 - £33,888) were payable to the fund at the reporting date and are included in creditors.
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NOTES TO THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
FOR THE PERIOD ENDED 31 DECEMBER 2024
The ultimate controlling party is SAAB AB. The company's Registered Office and the address from which consolidated accounts can be obtained is SE-58188, Linkoping, Sweden. This is the largest group in which the company's accounts are consolidated.
The immediate parent and smallest group in which the company's accounts are consolidated is SAAB UK. The company's Registered Office and the address from which consolidated accounts can be obtained is Kinnaird House, 1 Pall Mall East, London, England, SW1Y 5AU.
The immediate parent and smallest group in which the company's accounts are consolidated is SAAB UK. The company's Registered Office and the address from which consolidated accounts can be obtained is Kinnaird House, 1 Pall Mall East, London, England, SW1Y 5AU.
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