BAE Systems said Monday it’s teaming with SAIC [SAIC] and

By Light, an information technology services firm, to pursue the Air Force’s Mission Partner Environment contract to upgrade IT and communications systems for information sharing.

The three companies are specifically pursuing the Architecture, Engineering & Integration (AE&I) portion of the MPE program, with plans to offer “enhanced information technology and engineering capabilities.”

“BAE Systems, SAIC, and By Light are working together to provide advanced technologies and streamlined engineering services that will improve support of the Mission Partner Capabilities Office’s efforts to modernize the MPE,” Lisa Hand, vice president of BAE Systems’ Integrated Defense Solutions business, said in a statement. “Our efforts will enable enhanced operational effectiveness, lethality, and agility of U.S. military forces and mission partners.”

The Air Force first detailed the multi-billion dollar MPE initiative in 2020 with a request for industry’s input on offering new IT and communication systems that would assist in consolidating expiring contracts to improve data sharing among the joint services and with international partners.

BAE Systems said teaming with SASC and By Light will allow the company to offer complementary capabilities to meet the AE&I program’s requirement “to modernize, manage, integrate, and consolidate the MPE,” with the goal to transform current processes into a digital engineering environment.

“This transformational shift supports better decision making, enhanced communication, more efficient engineering process, and improved lifecycle management of a critical warfighter capability,” the company wrote in a statement.