This is the biggest contract they've been awarded, sure, but they do have an established track record and have been investing in larger scale capacity lately.

This is the biggest contract they've been awarded, sure, but they do have an established track record and have been investing in larger scale capacity lately. For highly specialised aircraft with a small procurement number it can make sense to go for mid-tiers rather than the massive primes. Here's some more background: https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/sierra-nevada-wins-us-air-force-nightwatch-replacement-contract https://aviationweek.com/defense-space/aircraft-propulsion/s...