Global defense companies are clamoring for the chance to compete with Boeing for a multi-billion-dollar contract to provide Britain with submarine-hunting aircraft, as the U.K. government ponders a gap left by recent defense cuts.
At a time of rising Western tensions with Russia — whose submarines are suspected of entering Swedish and Finnish waters — Britain is struggling to carry out its own aerial hunts for such boats since scrapping its Nimrod spy-plane program in 2010.
Defense Minister Michael Fallon confirmed on Wednesday that a British government defense and security review due to conclude in November could state the need for a new maritime patrol aircraft.