London, April 1, 2026, 14:10 BST
BAE Systems has officially landed a contract to provide and install next-generation air-defense radar systems, according to the UK government—a move officials say should pave the way for expanded offshore wind. The deal was confirmed in a parliamentary written answer dated March 31, following ministerial comments on the radar upgrade earlier in March.
Timing is key here: London wants more wind power, but it can’t afford to mess with the RAF’s surveillance of UK airspace—especially while shipping more air-defense equipment and personnel out to the Middle East. Ministers claim the broader radar overhaul could open the door for as much as 10 gigawatts in offshore wind, with installation possibly starting in early 2029.
Inside the NJORD programme—managed by Defence Equipment and Support for the RAF—the focus is on safeguarding the so-called Recognised Air Picture. According to procurement documents, this radar-based view helps track non-cooperative aircraft and other movements in UK airspace, an increasingly tricky task as sprawling wind farms begin to erode the system’s coverage.
On March 25, a contract award notice listed BAE Systems Surface Ships Limited as the contractor for the first NJORD call-off, putting the value at 95 million pounds before VAT. The deal, signed Feb. 26, followed a restricted competition with four bidders. Two possible one-year extensions were also outlined in the notice.
BAE is picking up yet another air-defense order. January saw a 453 million-pound Typhoon radar upgrade contract go to BAE and Leonardo, courtesy of Britain. Just last week, the Pentagon announced BAE and Lockheed Martin plan to ramp up THAAD interceptor seeker production fourfold—a move that brings in Honeywell as well.
BAE keeps signaling to investors that this isn’t just a fleeting trend. Back in February, Chief Executive Charles Woodburn described it as a “new era” for defence spending, insisting the company stood “well positioned.” That came after BAE reported a record backlog of 83.6 billion pounds and projected sales growth between 7% and 9% for 2026. Reuters
Pressure is building across companies linked to BAE. Missile manufacturer MBDA—jointly owned by BAE, Airbus, and Leonardo—said on March 26 it’s aiming to ramp up total output by 40% this year. Chief Executive Eric Beranger pointed to “further work is underway,” as the Iran crisis adds more weight on Western inventories. Reuters
Yet the radar contract highlights just how sluggish some of this investment can be. Officials haven’t disclosed which radar will be used, pointing to security and commercial reasons. Installation isn’t scheduled to begin until 2029, meaning there’s a long window for possible delays before the wind projects—currently held up—can shift from contract stage to actual construction.
BAE figures prominently in Britain’s push to boost exports. Alongside BAE, defence suppliers like Leonardo UK, MBDA, Rolls-Royce, and Martin-Baker are all contributing equipment and training tools for Turkey’s Typhoon programme—another reminder that the UK’s largest defence contractor is closely linked to homegrown orders and allied military build-ups.
