Desider July 2020
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www.des.mod.uk Issue 143 July 2020 the magazine for defence equipment desider and support DE&S- led team negotiates contracts for over 11 billion items of PPE Forewordcontinue to take real pride in to coincide with the DE&S virtual the way DE&S has mobilised to World Environment Day. As a I support Government, Defence and socially responsible organisation we frontline workers with the national are taking positive action and are COVID-19 response. We have a looking at ways we can reduce the environmental impact of our work, including the equipment and support "The continuous safety of our workforce remains we deliver and the sites we operate. Similarly, this month, it was good paramount as we determine our new normal" to see almost 1,000 of our staff attending the fourth of our annual very resilient workforce and I would Innovation Days, organised by the like to thank you all again for your DE&S Future Capability Group and continued flexibility and commitment also held virtually for the first time - an to delivering DE&S’ outputs during innovation in itself. Finding new and this time. inventive solutions or approaches is Intensive efforts by the something I want to ingrain across DE&S COVID-19 Operations the whole of DE&S and events like team, Infrastructure, Facilities these are a great opportunity to Management contractors, Corporate spread this message. Communications and many others, Elsewhere, at the start of June has seen our sites being reconfigured we led an excellent 85-person to COVID-secure standards. I've been webinar with industry to engage on really impressed by the arrangements the Defence Security and Industrial that have been made to enable our Strategy, which was well attended first priority returners back to some and received across the full range of of our sites. The continuous safety of our key suppliers. our workforce remains paramount as I attended a positive meeting with we determine our new normal. my counterparts in Germany and It’s been a busy month as we Sweden during which we discussed continue to support defence-critical our common interests and ways outputs and work hard alongside of working particularly in the field our industry partners and military of Land systems, but also Future customers, as well as playing a key Combat Air Systems and Complex role in continuing to support the UK Weapons. It reinforced to me the response to COVID-19. Read more value of sharing information beyond on page 9 about our dedicated formal cooperative programmes, and By Sir Simon Bollom, CEO team under Bruce Marshall who what we continue to achieve in our have negotiated contracts for over new virtual ways of working. 11 billion items of PPE, an inspiring This month, I’d like to pay tribute achievement and one that has been to Director of Engineering and Safety, recognised in the media. Tim Rowntree who is leaving us In terms of milestones, we recently this month after 47 years of loyal saw a C-17 Globemaster delivering service as an apprentice through to essential equipment to the Falkland Director. Tim has vast knowledge and Islands, enabling the construction passion for Defence and has made of an oxygen generation plant. Our a superb contribution to acquisition teams have played a key role with and support and driving innovative Joint Helicopter Command to extend thinking throughout his career. a contract to provide mission support Finally, it is impossible not to system arrangements for the Puma be moved by the passion and HC Mk2. The DE&S Small Boats commitment of those campaigning team secured a contract to provide for social justice. Working in Bristol inboard and outboard motors for makes this especially significant at the the MOD’s Small Boats fleet, and moment and I am sure recent events we have also seen success with the have resonated with us all - they recent environmental data gathering certainly have with me and reinforces trials for the Meteor missile. the need for us all to reflect on our Which leads me to highlight the contribution to making DE&S a really launch of our Environmental Strategy, inclusive workplace where everyone setting out the framework to deliver feels comfortable. on our environmental commitment over the next 10 years, and published 3 desider July 2020 desider July 2020 Contents Contents Contents www.gov.uk/government/publications/desider-2020 On the cover Twitter: @DefenceES Reservists unloading a third airlift of PPE. Facebook: @DefenceES Photo by Cpl Andy Reid LinkedIn: Defence Equipment & Support 16First Person 19Success for Meteor YouTube: DE&S Senior Commercial Advisor, Environmental Data Anne Huckle Gathering trials Editor: Louisa Keefe Louisa Keefe - 07981 013054 [email protected] Contributors: Daniel Evans, Louise Allford, Tom Morris, Lowri Jones, Ash Pitman, Hannah Swingler, Paul McLennan Photography and Design: Katherine Williams, Jack Eckersley, Charlie Perham, Andrew Linnett and Hannah Bone Distribution Manager: Dick Naughton - 0117 9134342 [email protected] 6Senior Leader Comment 10Dambusters squadron land on HMS Queen Elizabeth 21Spirit of Normandy Advertising Manager: Russell Brown, Director First carrier qualifying training for 617 squadron Five-year-old Kyan receives special recognition Edwin Rodrigues Ships Support [email protected] +44 (0) 20 3411 1008 Printing desider is distributed free to DE&S employees and the equipment capability organisations. Copies may be sent to readers outside MOD, including in the defence industries and is published on the world wide web via GOV.UK and www.des.mod.uk. While the editor takes care to ensure all material produced is accurate, no liability can be accepted for errors or omissions. Views expressed in desider, and products and services advertised, are not necessarily endorsed by DE&S or the MOD. All editorial submissions must be cleared by the relevant MOD authorities. © Crown Copyright Cover story DE&S play essential role in COVID-19 response 14Tim Rowntree 9 12Small boats fleet 24DE&S celebrate Pride This magazine is printed on Novatech Matt FS 100gsm which is Forest Stewardship Council certified material Negotiating contracts for almost 11 billion items of PPE £26.7m engine support Reflects on his career from well-managed forests and elemental chlorine free. contract awarded with DE&S 4 5 desider July 2020 desider July 2020 Senior Leader Comment News Russell Brown, Director Ships Support, talks to Desider about his role, adjusting to new working arrangements and the challenges ahead f you can guarantee one thing manage DE&S’ response to the investments; building resilience about working in DE&S and situation; helped procure PPE and into platforms, systems and MOD, it’s that there are always ventilators; and have supported There are equipment; and implementing Inew opportunities and challenges the NHS in London. We’ve also always new effective and efficient support to face. At the start of my career, supported wider Government arrangements. I said to myself: “If my next job is initiatives through support to opportunities In delivering against these, it not as good as the last one then Navy priorities, specifically and challenges may seem odd, but one of the I’ll leave.” This personal test has enabling RFA Argus to deploy biggest challenges we’re facing been met, throughout my career, to the Caribbean and provide to face is the sheer volume and variety every time I’ve changed roles and COVID-19 assistance to our of new platforms coming into that’s why, more than 35 years overseas territories. service with the Navy. Good news later, I’m still here. Also, it should not be forgotten for the Navy and their sailors, but I’m currently assigned to the that maintaining Defence outputs it presents my teams with an ever- Director Ships Support role, is a key part of our COVID-19 increasing range of new systems leading an operating centre of response and all my teams have to understand and support. around 1,200 staff responsible ensured that the Navy’s highest working from home. Whilst some Another significant challenge for a wide range of projects priority outputs have been have relished and enjoyed the is matching our customer’s and programmes. This includes sustained. In doing so, I’ve been revised working arrangements, ambitious plans for support providing platform support to delighted by their positive attitude others have struggled to balance transformation, which is all about Royal Navy and Royal Fleet and the novel ways they’ve kept childcare, caring commitments getting our ships on task and Auxiliary (RFA) surface vessels, in touch and maintained their and even just find an appropriate keeping them there longer, for procuring and supporting combat morale. Like everyone, we’ve had location to concentrate. The less. We’ll only be able to achieve systems and marine systems, to adjust to working from home, importance of taking these this if we work in partnership and managing the programme ‘virtual’ meetings and managing wellbeing considerations into with industry, become truly to deliver our future support with reduced access to secret data. account, as we undertake a phased digitally enabled and exploit the arrangements for complex It’s also been necessary for a small return to our sites, cannot be strategic opportunities presented warships, submarines and HM number to continue working at underestimated. by the support contracts for the Naval Base services. their usual locations due to the Of course, it is vital that new and future platforms. By no As replicated across DE&S, nature of their work, and I want we continue to deliver our means is this an easy task, but it many of my staff have volunteered to thank them for their fortitude programmes during this is another exciting opportunity to to move from their usual during these difficult times.