BAE signs 10-year contract extension U.K. Royal Navy

WASHINGTON, Oct. 10 (UPI) -- BAE Systems is set to begin work on a 10.5-year contract extension to provide combat system integration services for the British Royal Navy.

Under the contract, the work will include integration services for both in-service and future platforms, including new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, Type 45 destroyers, and Type 26 Global Combat Ships. The operation is a follow-up to the first phase of Naval Combat Systems Integration Support Services contract awarded in 2012.

"The award of the NCSISS phase two contract is a vital part of our continuing support to the Royal Navy and secures BAE Systems' position at the heart of naval combat systems integration for the next decade," BAE Systems Combat Systems Director Richard Williams said in a press release. "It will ensure the UK's highly complex and capable surface ships remain at peak operational performance, able to deploy the latest technology in support of the nation's requirements long into the future."

Combat systems integration services aim to modernize future and existing vessels to maximize battlefield performance. U.K. defense procurement official Harriet Baldwin hailed the contract as a needed investment.

"This contract is great news for the Royal Navy and for jobs in the region," she said. "Our commitment to Portsmouth is demonstrated by the Ministry of Defence's £100 million [$123.6 million] investment over the next six years. With a rising defence budget we are ensuring that our armed forces have the equipment and support they need to keep the UK safe and secure."