Vickers plc was the remainder of the Vickers company after the privatisation of three of its four operating groups; aviation (50% share of British Aircraft Corporation in 1977), shipbuilding (Vickers Limited Shipbuilding Group in 1977) and steel.

In 1980 Vickers plc acquired Rolls-Royce Motors. This was not Vickers' first involvement with Rolls-Royce. In 1966 Rolls-Royce Limited (the original aero-engine and motor car company) acquired Bristol Aeroplane for its Bristol Siddeley engine business, but declared it had no interest in the BAC shareholding, which was owned by Vickers (40%), English Electric (40%) and Bristol (20%). Despite this Rolls-Royce still hadn't disposed of the BAC share by 1971 when the company was declared bankrupt. The 20% share was eventually acquired from receivership by Vickers and GEC (then parent of EE). Rolls-Royce plc (the post bankruptcy nationalised aero-engine manufacturer) was privatised in 1987.

Vickers plc was acquired by Rolls-Royce plc in 1999 for its marine propulsion businesses.

Acquisitions

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• 1986: ROF Leeds (see below)
• 1990: Cosworth
• 1996: Kamewa, manufacturer of waterjets
• 1998: Ulstein, major marine propulsion and engineering company
• 1999: Reumech, owner of OMC - renamed Vickers OMC

Vickers Defence Systems

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Vickers Defence Systems was, by the time of the purchase by Rolls-Royce plc, a major defence contractor. Its interests were primarily centred around land warfare products. In 1986 Vickers Defence acquired the Royal Ordnance Factory, Leeds, (ROF Leeds). This acquisition brought the Challenger 1 tank into Vickers' portfolio. Vickers would later develop this into the Challenger 2 tank, the current main battle tank of the British Army and Oman.

In 2002, Vickers Defence Systems was purchased by Alvis plc to form the subsidiary Alvis Vickers. In 2004, the board of the parent group Alvis approved a £309m takeover bid by the American defence company General Dynamics. Within 3 months BAE Systems, which already had a 29% stake in the company, bid £355m for the company. The action was seen as a defence of the home market from a foreign rival. The bid was accepted by the majority of shareholders. In September 2004, BAE announced the creation of BAE Systems Land Systems, a new company bringing together the BAE subsidiaries, RO Defence and Alvis Vickers. In 2005, the acquisition of United Defense led to the creation of BAE Systems Land and Armaments Group