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<p>The Government's default position on defence procurement remains competition wherever
appropriate. However, in this case the threat has advanced, and is forecast to advance
to such a degree, that decisive action is required now to protect national security
interests. Whilst a final investment decision has not yet been made, our market analysis
has led us to conclude that this pressing need can best be met by the operationally-proven
E-7 Wedgetail. Testing the market further through any requests for information would
be highly unlikely to identify any other mature system that could meet our pressing
need whilst creating nugatory effort, cost and delay, during which the gap between
UK capability and the evolving threat is expected to widen.</p>
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