Apr 2013 Issue 59 desthe magazine for defencidere equipment and support A400M Atlas training boost Latest on the Materiel Strategy See inside Gunners hit Bridging Quick on Clyde Gold Cup the target the gap the draw on patrol drama Getting connected is now Together we are a new global IT and business services champion Delivering Information Enabled Capability Consulting, systems integration and outsourcing services Over 70,000 professionals in 40 countries Local knowledge, global strength cgi-group.co.uk Experience the commitment® LOGICA CGI - DESIDER FULL PAGE 210mm x 297 mm ARTWORK.indd 1 11/03/2013 17:02 FEATURES 20 een 20 Mapping out an Atlas future DE&S is investing £226 million on a specialist training school at RAF Brize Norton where the fleet of new A400M transport aircraft – named as Atlas by the RAF – will be based. The UK is buying 22 to replace the C-130 Hercules e: Sgt Nige Gr Pictur 22 Quick on the draw DE&S introduced a small radio to address an urgent ISAF need for secure ground-to-air communications. A team at DE&S has since developed the radio to fill a multitude of roles including satellite access for dismounted patrols 24 Now is the time to get serious Chief of Defence Materiel Bernard Gray has told a major conference that Nato members, including the UK, will not be able to sustain their Armed Forces if they do not seize the opportunity to work in a new, radical way 26 Keeping gunners on target cover image Technology to enhance weapon sights and make life easier 2013 and safer for gunners and commanders on the front line Aircrew and those who will work on the ground on the has been unveiled to stakeholders in a demonstration on the RAF’s next generation airlifter, the A400M, named by Lulworth Ranges in Dorset the service as Atlas, will be working on simulators to be APRIL installed at RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire. desider NEWS Assistant Head, Public Relations: Ralph Dunn - 9352 30257 or 0117 9130257 6 And Duncan makes six [email protected] The final ypeT 45 destroyer, Duncan, has left BAE Systems' yard at Scotstoun on the Clyde for her Deputy Editor: home port of Portsmouth Steve Moore - 9352 30537 or 0117 9130537 [email protected] 9 Unmistakeable as a carrier Construction of the first aircraft carrier, Queen Distribution Manager: Elizabeth, has taken another step forward with the Dick Naughton - 9352 34342 or 0117 9134342 fitting of the ship's navigation bridge. [email protected] 10 RAF Typhoons take on full upgrade Advertising: The upgrade known as Drop 2 is to be rolled out Richard Stillman – Ten Alps Media, 40 Bowling Green across the RAF's entire fleet of rT anche 1 Typhoon Lane, London EC1R 0NE aircraft. Tel: +44 (0)20 7657 1837 Fax: +44 (0)20 7379 7155 12 Reactor core project off to a good start [email protected] A turf-cutting ceremony has taken place to signal new facilities which will help provide future nuclear reactor cores for Royal Navy submarines Printing: 13 CDM on the Clyde Chief of Defence Materiel Bernard Gray has visited Clyde naval base to see new vessels which will help protect shipping. desider is distributed free of charge to DE&S employees and the equipment capability sponsor. Copies can also DE&S view on inventory management be made available to readers outside the MOD, including 14 those in the defence industries. While the editor takes Criticism of the levels of military stores has been care to ensure all material produced is accurate, no answered as a DE&S team shows the way in liability can be accepted for errors or omissions. Views reducing the MOD's inventory expressed in desider, and the products and services advertised, are not necessarily endorsed by DE&S or the 16 New start, electric future MOD. All content for advertorials must be cleared by the A new logistic depot has opened, part of a long relevant MOD project team before publication. term contract, to house all general purpose power generation and distribution equipment © Crown Copyright 19 Spider crane gives a lift at Camp Bastion This magazine is produced on Cocoon A new 'spider' crane has been making life easier for Silk 90gsm which contains 50 per those working with the support helicopter fleet on cent recycled and de-inked pulp from Operation Herrick at Camp Bastion post consumer waste and Forest Stewardship Council certified material from well-managed forests. Insider Bernard Gray Materiel Strategy leaders Chief of Defence Materiel Barry Burton, left, took over as Director Materiel Strategy last June following two years ‘You will know, probably even as Principal Private better than me, what a complex Secretary to the Secretary of State. organisation DE&S is and how it He has worked on Defence Exports reaches into almost every part in Washington, of defence’ Land Command and Iraq where he was Political Adviser to the Senior I think you are well aware that an I am pleased to be able British Military Initial Gate Business Case on the to confirm that we have Representative. More recently he was the Materiel Strategy is currently Director of Secretariat and Communications in arrangements in place to begin a DE&S and Head of Policy in MOD’s Operational working its way through the significant external recruitment Directorate. approvals process. We expect campaign in DE&S to fill a to hear soon whether Ministers number of vacancies, with a high Dr Liesl Neale, have taken the decision to launch right, who is leading priority devoted to filling the work on the DE&S+ the Assessment Phase. remaining safety critical posts option, moved to the While awaiting that decision, throughout the organisation. Materiel Strategy I felt it was important to take The beginning of the month team from the COS this opportunity to remind you role at the Defence marked the change from us Academy. A former of some of the reasons why the having one customer to having Head of Secretariat DE&S Board is convinced of the several; all empowered to and New Media in need for change in the way DE&S Main Building, she make their own choices on is managed. has worked in a how they meet their capability number of functional You will know, probably even requirements within defence and areas in DLO and better than me, what a complex DE&S including organisation DE&S is; how it looking to us to assist in meeting finance, HR, estates reaches into and interacts with those requirements across the and strategy. almost every part of defence and equipment, logistics and support areas. Dawn Cunningham-Martin, below left, leading links with defence contractors work on the DE&S ‘as is’ option, was most around the world. The Customer Design recently Deputy Head of the Submarine The Materiel Strategy aims Programme for which I am the Enterprise Performance Programme, and to find a solution that offers the SRO, is intended to enable our has also worked as Head of DE&S greatest likelihood of focused customers in the Front Line Secretariat and and sustained improvement, Commands to drive significant Communications. has the strongest incentives for improvement in their ability to She joined the cultural change and introduces task and hold DE&S to account Materiel Strategy team last autumn a real drive for productivity. A for delivery. to lead the future DE&S with a more robust Alongside Materiel Strategy, Engagement, customer/supplier interface the two programmes will drive Baselining and and strong incentivisation to International the necessary changes across workstreams. Her deliver against requirements the breadth of the acquisition previous roles will provide a significant boost to system to help make the changes covered policy, our ability to meet the equipment in performance we need. finance and change and support needs of the Armed management, but Irrespective of change that key were leading Forces. is afoot our customers continue communications and secretariat teams in The Board believes that this to require the very best in DLO, DE&S and FLCs. will be realised most effectively equipment and support so that Richard Smart, below right, heading work on through a GOCO operating model they, in turn, can provide the but this view will be fully tested the GOCO option, joined the Materiel Strategy best capability for defence. team in July 2011 following three years as against a viable DE&S+ option Finally, I thought it worth Head of Team Complex Weapons. He has that will be worked up in parallel spent most of his alerting you to the recent should Ministers launch the MOD career in DE&S Assessment Phase. announcement that the majority and its predecessor organisations, Whichever option is decided, of the Information Systems and Services Operating Centre, working mainly on this is an opportunity to allow the procurement our business to build success, which is based at Corsham and support of fixed job satisfaction and better in Wiltshire, is to transfer to wing transport the Joint Forces Command in aircraft – C-130J, performance. The potential C-17 and A400M. He benefits to the Armed Forces April 2014. This decision has supported the rollout of the kind of reforms that the arisen from work to reshape the of integrated project programme is investigating are boundaries of DE&S as it faces teams under Smart the challenges of the future. Acquisition in the considerable. late 1990s. NEWS 5 Pictures: Andrew Linnett Away day on home ground: Major General Tim Inshaw (inset, above) Director Information Systems and Services, and Vice Admiral Sir Andrew Mathews, Chief of Materiel (Fleet), main picture, at the board's day at Abbey Wood Board away day makes ground on home soil DE&S’ SENIOR leadership of Board on the development of the DE&S+ option the discussion by describing to Board members and 2* Operating Centre and how far we could push the boundaries members and 2* Directors the approach and Functional Directors met at DE&S from where DE&S is today.