June 2012 Issue 49 desthe magazine for defenceider equipment and support Land Forces take the lead in DE&S industry show Planning Round 12 – MOD balances the books See inside F-35 full Carriers on Nest of Successor First class speed ahead the move Vipers progress delivery Strength in Partnership FEATURES 17 18 DVD – the art of the possible Defence Vehicle Dynamic 2012 is DE&S' key stakeholder event for the land community and an opportunity for the organisation to engage with industry to discuss technologies, current developments and to share aspirations and plans for the future Cpl Paul Robinson, RLC Cpl Paul 26 Sharing challenges and successes Mastiff, Coyote, Husky, Jackal, Warthog and Wolfhound have Picture: all proved a success on operations and examples of each of the vehicles will be on show as DVD gets ready to show off the best equipment and technology in the land environment 38 Pride in the work of DE&S Chief of Defence Materiel Bernard Gray has told award Strength in Partnership winners at this year's Commendations event that they should be proud of what they have achieved as he congratulated them on their contribution to defence cover image 40 In praise of the rotary world 2012 Land equipment takes centre stage as DE&S holds its Availability of support helicopters to the front line has made industry event at Millbrook this month. Pictured is a massive strides forward, thanks to the efforts of DE&S and soldier from A Company, 1 Royal Anglian completing a industry colleagues, says Peter Luff, Minister for Defence final day of reception, staging, onward movement and JUNE Equipment, Support and Technology integration in readiness for the move forward to the front line in Afghanistan. desider NEWS Assistant Head, Public Relations: Ralph Dunn - 9352 30257 or 0117 9130257 4 MOD budget is balanced [email protected] The MOD has, for the first time in a generation, wiped out its budget deficit, reports Defence Deputy Editor: Secretary Philip Hammond Steve Moore - 9352 30537 or 0117 9130537 [email protected] 8 The game for DE&S has changed DE&S has started on a new journey, said Bernard Distribution Manager: Gray as he spoke to staff at Abbey Wood after the Dick Naughton - 9352 34342 or 0117 9134342 MOD's PR12 announcements [email protected] 10 C-17 delivered in rapid order Advertising: The RAF's eighth C-17 transport aircraft has Anthon Linton – Ten Alps Publishing, 1 New Oxford been delivered only three months after the Street, High Holborn, London WC1A 1NU announcement of its purchase Tel: +44 (0)20 7657 1819. Fax: +44 (0)207 7379 7155 11 Deterrent successor contracts awarded [email protected] Contracts worth £350 million have been awarded to UK companies to design the next generation of nuclear deterrent submarines Printing: 12 F-35: the decision is made The Government has decided to operate the short take-off and vertical landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter from the new aircraft carriers desider is distributed free of charge to DE&S employees and the equipment capability sponsor. Copies can also New arrangements for ship refits be made available to readers outside the MOD, including 14 those in the defence industries. While the editor takes New arrangements for surface ship refits have come care to ensure all material produced is accurate, no into play with the nine-month docking period of HMS liability can be accepted for errors or omissions. Views Somerset at Devonport expressed in desider, and the products and services advertised, are not necessarily endorsed by DE&S or the 15 Panama – a Forces’ life-saver MOD. All content for advertorials must be cleared by the A life-saving capability which uses remotely- relevant MOD project team before publication. controlled vehicles to hunt for Improvised Explosive Devices has won awards for innovative procurement © Crown Copyright 43 Diamond unveils her nest of Vipers This magazine is produced on Cocoon HMS Diamond has proved her fighting mettle by Silk 90gsm which contains 50 per successfully testing her Sea Viper missiles system cent recycled and de-inked pulp from off the Outer Hebrides post consumer waste and Forest Stewardship Council certified material from well-managed forests. Insider Bernard Gray Chief of Defence Materiel Budget balanced as MOD unveils its programme ‘The lengthy list of confirmed programmes is welcome news and gives us for the first time a firm foundation for our work’ THE Secretary of State’s It’s also a great illustration announcement on 14th May of the type of change that that the MOD had brought the Transforming Defence is all Defence Budget into balance about, enabling us to plan with was a defining moment for greater confidence to deliver the all of us in DE&S, because battle–winning Armed Forces it puts us on a different and that are at the heart of the new more challenging footing as we Defence Vision. prepare for the future. The lengthy list of confirmed We in DE&S contributed programmes is welcome news significantly to the budget and gives us for the first time a calculation representing the firm foundation for our work, as Scout included in £4.5 billion of new armoured fighting vehicles core equipment programme well as that of our partners in total contained in the Secretary the defence industries, for the of State’s announcement and we THE MOD will have, for the first time, a long-term. core equipment programme that is fully now have a major responsibility Alongside these hugely to deliver within that budget funded and affordable. important programme That was the Planning Round 12 over the years to come. issues I was very pleased to (PR12) message from Defence Secretary That realism was also lead the DE&S annual CDM Philip Hammond as he announced that evidenced in the figures that Commendations Ceremony the department’s budget deficit had been DE&S supplied to assist the in London and hear about wiped out for the first time in a generation. Government in making its some of the extraordinary Through a series of tough but necessary decision to revert to the F-35B achievements and successes of decisions combined with radical reforms version of the Joint Strike of the MOD’s financial processes, the hole DE&S teams, often in support in the defence budget two years ago – Fighter for the Queen Elizabeth of current operations and the class aircraft carriers. estimated by some to be as great as £38 delivery of Urgent Operational billion – has now been eliminated. Those of you to whom I had Requirements. the pleasure of speaking at A fully costed programme provides As I have said before, I the Armed Forces with the stability a Town Hall session in Abbey always look forward to these and assurance they need for the future. Wood, after the Secretary The MOD can now confidently invest in of State had made his ceremonies and the insight they give me into the professionalism new equipment, knowing its delivery is announcement, understand the guaranteed because the programme is considerable importance I attach of all of you in DE&S and the fantastic contribution you make accurately costed and affordable. to meeting the commitments we The core committed equipment have made on cost control. to the defence of the UK. They programme amounts to just under £152 The Secretary of State’s make me, and I hope all of you, announcement confirmed a total feel proud about your work and planned spend of £160 billion your many successes. on defence equipment, support Finally, as I was pleased ‘For the first time in and data systems over the to explain to members of the next 10 years. Within that total House of Commons Defence decades, we have a is £8 billion of uncommitted Select Committee on 15th credible, sustainable money and crucially a £4 billion May, The Materiel Strategy contingency risk to deal with continues to make progress budget and we can the unexpected. As we in DE&S on its analysis of the potential confidently pledge to are well aware, the unexpected operating models and our work does sometimes happen on will be submitted to Ministers deliver to our Armed equipment programmes. It is later this year. Alongside the first time to my knowledge this activity, our studies are Forces almost £160 billion the MOD has ever made such continuing on The Materiel of equipment we know we a provision, and it will help to Strategy Interim Structure and, ensure that we can deal with as always, developments will can afford’ the kind of problems we may be communicated to you as encounter along the way. decisions are reached. – Philip Hammond NEWS 5 Budget balanced as MOD unveils its programme Scout included in £4.5 billion of new armoured fighting vehicles billion over ten years, against a totalled His thoughts were echoed by Chief projects can now be guaranteed while a planned spend of almost £160 billion. That of the Defence Staff, General Sir David number of other projects will be brought £152 billion includes, for Richards. He said: into the core equipment programme. the first time, a centrally o Projects whose delivery can “Taking tough decisions Scrutiny and financial controls that held contingency of now be guaranteed and those and dealing with have been put in place will allow the more than £4 billion. unaffordable projects MOD to ensure projects deliver against which will be part of the core The programme also has given us clarity to time and cost. As they do so, the MOD includes an extra £8 equipment programme: pages plan.