BAE agrees tech support deal to back UK Sport stars

DEFENCE contractor BAE Systems is expected to agree a four-year partnership – worth hundreds of thousands of pounds in engineering equipment, materials and time – with the funding body for Britain’s elite athletes.

The firm is in discussions with UK Sport to continue a technology partnership that provided engineering support to more than 20 sports, from badminton to skeleton bobsled, between 2008 and 2012. It is understood that a four-year arrangement will begin in February.

Sports will be able to draw on the skills of thousands of BAE engineers, whose usual work involves designing and manufacturing military jets and submarines. The project will be co-ordinated by BAE’s research and development centre in Bristol.

Projects developed under the previous partnership contributed to a number of medal wins at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and last year’s Summer Olympics in London.