I can relate to that. In my career I stepped out and into defense, and it never really bothered me that much to be honest. But then it was always things like fighter jets and helicopters sold to NATO members, I never had to rationalize that we build the weapons carrier and not the, e.g., missiles that actually cause harm.
I always drew the line at small arms so. Way more people die because of those, they end up in every conflict and there have been too many scandals of those smalls arms manufacturers circumventing export restrictions. Quite recently I added supporting countries like Saudi and the UAE to that list, even the job would have been really interesting, providing highly sophisticated training services to the Saudis is nothing I could do and still look myself in mirror. And civil aerospace is fun as well.
I worked in defense too, might go back. When I get calls I'm like "I don't do work for the Saudi's or the DEA" and half the time the recruiter is like "Uh, I said this job is for Raytheon."
One way or the other, regardless of the company, properly one if not both of those countries. Sure, those countries are rich, I just hope that Ukraine showed us in the Democratic west that certain values, like human rights, shouldn't be compromised upon, which we all did in the last decades.
I do understand why those companies chase Saudi and UAE contracts, that's where the money is. Maybe that changes if NATO members increase defense spending, it would be a nice side effect, wouldn't it?
sadly, yeah, the big contractors work for anyone its legal to work for. I'll just make sure I don't end up on a program working for scumbags. If I get canned cause I won't work for someone, I get canned and life goes on. My security clearance is worth a whole lot to the right person
I always drew the line at small arms so. Way more people die because of those, they end up in every conflict and there have been too many scandals of those smalls arms manufacturers circumventing export restrictions. Quite recently I added supporting countries like Saudi and the UAE to that list, even the job would have been really interesting, providing highly sophisticated training services to the Saudis is nothing I could do and still look myself in mirror. And civil aerospace is fun as well.