Aerospace and technology giant BAE Systems will continue to act as UK Sport's official research and innovation partner in the run up to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

The £800,000 agreement means athletes will have access to BAE technology as they seek to apply scientific innovation to their competition performance as well as training, recovery and injury prevention.

It is the second phase of a partnership which has so far benefited more than 20 different Olympic and Paralympic sports and 140 athletes ranging from cycling to skeleton.

Liz Nicholl, CEO of UK Sport, said: "Having access to BAE Systems' engineering capabilities has significantly increased our technical ability by helping our athletes and their coaches seek out those winning margins, both in training and in competition.

"The incredible work to come out of the first phase of the partnership is just the beginning, and as we aim to win even more medals in Rio in 2016, we are delighted to be continuing to work closely with BAE Systems in helping our athletes to operate at the cutting edge of their sport."

BAE Systems engineers will continue to work with UK Sport, and their science, medicine and technology arm, the English Institute of Sport, to support British sports and athletes ahead of major competitions including the forthcoming Winter Games.

Minister for Sport Hugh Robertson said: "The difference between success and failure in sport can often come down to the smallest of margins.

"The cutting edge technology from BAE Systems contributed to British athletes' incredible success in the run-up to and during the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"I'm pleased that BAE Systems' partnership with UK Sport will continue to support our best athletes, with Sochi and Rio on the horizon."

To mark the announcement, a revolutionary new racing wheel, designed to improve the acceleration of Great Britain's wheelchair racers by up to 20 per cent, was unveiled by London 2012 Paralympic silver medalist, Shelly Woods.

Simon Howison, engineering projects director at BAE Systems, said: "This partnership will continue to help us demonstrate how engineering can be applied in many different areas and encourage more young people to consider a career in science, technology, engineering and maths.

"We're hugely proud to work with British athletes and help support incremental gains in performance that might make a real difference to the nation's sporting success."