www.des.mod.uk Issue 126 January 2019 the magazine for defence equipment des and support RAF Typhoons take to the skies with Meteor air-to-air missile Oshkosh Defense, LLC, Oshkosh, WI, USA LLC DEFENSE, OSHKOSH ©2019 An Oshkosh CorporationOshkosh An OshkoshCompany Defense and the Oshkosh Defense logo are registered trademarks and TAK-4 i WHERE WILL YOU BE is a trademark of WHEN YOU’RE GLAD YOU’RE IN A JLTV? Oshkosh Defense® BEYOND THE WIRE. BEYOND EXPECTATIONS. JLTV Oshkosh Defense® JLTV is designed for never-before-achieved speed, power and protected mobility outside the wire. From its unrivaled TAK-4i™ intelligent independent suspension system* to scalable levels of protection and complete plug and play C4ISR capability – Oshkosh JLTV is the go-anywhere, do-anything light tactical vehicle. oshkoshdefense.com JLT V_ P1- 3 _ 2 019 - EU -1 * Patent pending OSHK_JLTV-Grn_B-Beyond_DesiderFullPg.indd 1 12/11/18 8:30 AM Forewordappy New Year to The end of 2018 marked everyone. I hope that the achievement of some key those of you who took programme milestones and I’m Htime off at Christmas had a pleased that we have awarded relaxing festive break with your multi-million-pound contracts family and friends. with industry to scope the designs for five new Type 31e warships. "I would like to say a sincere thank you to those DE&S On the support side, we have signed an agreement to install employees who worked over the holiday period" state-of-the-art radios on 39 ships used by the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary, while I would like to say a sincere the Merlin helicopter fleet has thank you to those DE&S now undertaken 200,000 flying employees who worked over hours in operations, exercises the holiday period continuing to and humanitarian support. provide our armed forces with And in Land, the first of the support and equipment they three battle critical transporters need to do their jobs. - Enhanced Palletised Load Just before we left for the System (EPLS) Mk3 vehicles - Christmas break the efforts which carry vital ammunition and of DE&S staff were again supplies to the front line have recognised – this time by been delivered to the British Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff Army to further strengthen (VCDS), General Sir Gordon its logistics backbone. All Messenger, who told DE&S staff tremendous achievements. at his recent Abbey Wood town And not forgetting our people hall how impressed he is by who make all this great work our work at the heart of the UK happen, DE&S apprentices have defence community. been praised by a primary head This year, DE&S will continue teacher for being a credit to our to focus on programme organisation after they helped delivery with some important during a Science, Technology, milestones across all domains. Engineering and Maths week. We will also be implementing Finally, I must mention the recommendations from Lieutenant Colonel Craig Palmer the Modernising Defence from the Artillery Systems team By Sir Simon Bollom, CEO Programme and we will be at DE&S who was shortlisted responding to the need for a for a Sun Military Awards (The focus on agile procurement Millies) for his actions following and innovation. the Parsons Green bombing on Last month’s successful London Underground. Craig’s Army Warfighting Experiment, swift actions and decision managed by the DE&S Tech to face danger rather than Office, was an example of how flee helped police identify the companies, both big and small, suspect and resulted in in are being given the opportunity the terrorist’s arrest. Read his to do just that - on this occasion amazing story inside. showcasing their innovative new ideas to the Army. On this occasion Army HQ were given the chance to try out the latest Robotics and Autonomous Systems to see if they could benefit future operations. 3 Editor: Tom Morris - 9352 37888 or 0117 9137888 [email protected] Contributors: Laura Martin Plaza, Amy Marsh, Tom Knight, Emma Lancaster, Hannah Wood and Louise Allford Photography and Design: Andrew Linnett, Charlie Perham, Jack Eckersley, Beth Squire, Mark Hawke and Katherine Williams 09 Distribution Manager: Dick Naughton - 9352 34342 or 0117 9134342 [email protected] Advertising Manager: Edwin Rodrigues edwin.rodrigues@ noahsarkmedia.com +44 (0) 748 257 1535 Printing desider is distributed free to DE&S employees 12 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. 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 This magazine is produced on Cocoon Silk 100gsm which contains 50 per cent recycled and de-inked pulp from post consumer waste and Forest Stewardship Council certified material from 22 well-managed forests. 4 desider January 2019 Feature Contents 06 Senior Leader On the cover Comment – Director Feature A RAF Typhoon takes off from RAF Land Equipment, 12 Lieutenant Colonel Lossiemouth with Meteor air-to-air Major General Colin Craig Palmer – a hero missiles on board for the first time McClean within DE&S 22 DE&S teams play key Photo by: News role in success of Saif SAC Charlotte Hopkins RAF Sareea 3 07 Battle-critical vehicles delivered to British Army DE&S People 08 Industry contenders 16 First Person – Head for Type 31e warship of the Future Maritime announced Support Programme 09 RAF Typhoons John Farrow launched with the 24 DE&S People – DE&S Meteor air-to-air apprentices praised at missile primary school STEM 14 Contract signed to week provide ships with 25 60 Second Spotlight new state-of-the-art – DE&S Devonport radios apprentice Joe 18 Innovation on Clatworthy display at the 28 Jobs – Desider’s latest Army Warfighting recruitment pages and Experiment benefits 20 Merlin helicopter fleet hits 200,000 flying hours landmark 21 £400 million funding boost for the Dreadnought programme announced www.gov.uk/government/publications/desider-2019 Twitter: @DefenceES Facebook: @DefenceES LinkedIn: Defence Equipment & Support YouTube: DE&S 5 desider January 2019 Senior Leader Comment Major General Colin McClean, Director Land Equipment, talks to Desider about his role, DE&S’ relationship with the Army and the organisation’s future efore my first appointment Special Forces use, from tanks customer, is very healthy. They in DE&S I was a solider and weapons to helmets and don’t necessarily understand all and Army officer, using body armour, and we take this I am always the processes of DE&S, but it’s Band maintaining equipment. I responsibility very seriously. immensely not really their job to do so. It’s had, and still have, a fascination This year we have played a key our job to ensure we help them with engineering and wanted to role in ensuring that some of the proud of the understand what they need to in understand the equipment process major exercises and operations way teams terms of our processes, and, in prior to it being used in the field. that the Army have been turn, that should assist them with That’s why, in 2001, I volunteered committed on have been within my their decision making. to join a role in procurement with great successes. domain Besides delivering for our DE&S’ predecessor – the Defence Seeing those exercises go customers, my other main priority Procurement Agency. off smoothly as a result of the maintain is looking after and supporting Since that first appointment, huge amount of hard work the a ‘can-do’ my own staff. Embedding change I’ve spent 17 years alternating people in LEOC have done is always is – and has been – tough, between roles at DE&S and hugely rewarding. I am always attitude under and it’s pleasing to see we now being back in the Army, using immensely proud of the way considerable have a clear vision of what we’re and maintaining the equipment. teams within my domain pressure aiming to achieve. But it’s not just In October 2017 I was very maintain a ‘can-do’ attitude about providing our people with honoured to be offered the role of under considerable pressure. the tools and behaviours required Director Land Equipment. Another great success worth to deliver today, it’s also about After my appointment I reflecting on is Defence Vehicle shaping what the business will introduced the mantra ‘what have Dynamics (DVD), a huge event look like in 10 years’ time. we done for them today?’ within hosted by LEOC that was held in We need to maintain the Land Equipment Operating September last year. momentum throughout the Centre (LEOC). The biennial event is an coming year so that embedding I strongly believe it helps us excellent opportunity for industry change naturally becomes stay focused on the fact there and customers to meet and gain continuous improvement. I is an end user of our services – an understanding of each other’s think this will make DE&S the whether that be soldiers, sailors, perspectives, challenges and most professional acquisition air personnel, Royal Marines or opportunities. This year we had organisation amongst any of our Special Forces – and we must over 5,000 visitors; it was a great partner nations. never forget it’s because of them event. I’m very proud of my team we exist to support.