BT has signed a five-year contract with BAE Systems to provide secure connectivity services across the defence manufacturer’s UK and international network, with an option to extend the agreement by a further three years.
Under the deal, BT will deliver network infrastructure and security services supporting BAE Systems’ operations across 40 countries, enabling staff to access digital tools in specialist and sensitive working environments. The contract forms part of BAE Systems’ wider programme to modernise its digital infrastructure and improve operational efficiency.
The agreement follows BT’s recent launch of a sovereign connectivity platform designed for organisations operating in sensitive national security roles or subject to evolving regulatory requirements. BT said the partnership would extend that capability into the defence, manufacturing and critical national infrastructure sectors.
Chris Sims, chief commercial officer at BT Business said the deal was about “getting those foundations exactly right,” adding that BT brought “decades of experience delivering secure, complex connectivity for critical organisations that need absolute reliability.”
Dr Mary Haigh, director digital delivery at BAE Systems, described the contract as “a significant step” in the company’s transformation of its digital ecosystem, saying partners would play a critical role in “unlocking greater agility, pace and innovation across our business.”
BT did not disclose the financial value of the contract.
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