Britain in talks with Boeing for multi-billion pound air force contract - FT

(Reuters) - Britain has begun exclusive talks with planemaker Boeing Co <BA.N> for a multi-billion pound contract to replace its fleet of ageing surveillance aircraft for the Royal Air Force, the Financial Times reported https://www.ft.com/content/f137d6dc-c659-11e8-ba8f-ee390057b8c9 on Tuesday.

The decision to move ahead with one potential supplier, expected to be confirmed ahead of a Nato conference this week, will likely spark a backlash from parts of the defence establishment as it has been done without a competitive process, according to the report.

Boeing did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.

(Reporting by Sanjana Shivdas in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)