Being locked into proprietary platforms or vendor specific open architectures has made the task of achieving supremacy in warfare technology no easier. These issues limit governmental ability to bring in third parties to compete or add new capabilities, resulting in expensive sole-source or single-bidder contract awards. By curbing long programme schedules and opening more integration options, the Future Airborne Capability Environment (FACE) initiative with its open systems architecture strategy can make a significant difference both commercially and technologically.