UK gives BAE Systems 12-month contract for FCAS work

BAE Systems has been awarded a 12-month single-source contract by the UK to continue work on a future combat air system. A contract notice released by the UK Ministry of Defence says that the development effort is at technology readiness level – 3. The MoD justifies the single-source award by its "cumulative investment" stretching back decades" into BAE Systems as "the UK's lead air systems integrator".As a result, the company has "built up a unique level of credible and capable technical expertise and [personnel] and is necessary for the integrated delivery of concepts, associated requirements and the application of technology".