www.des.mod.uk

desiderInnovation – join the journey

Issue 139
March 2020

the magazine for
defence equipment
and support

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ForewordW

elcome to our second
special edition of
Desider, celebrating theamazing innovation taking placeacross DE&S as we strive to"The world of Defence is a rapidly changing landscapeand inside you will find cutting-edge projects fromacross the business"
inspire fresh thinking across the
Defence community.

Since the seminal ‘Innovation’edition last year, our teams havebeen encouraged to push theboundaries and be confident
in championing ways of doing
things better, faster and more
dynamically as we seek todeliver the very best capability to
the front line.
More than ever, the world of
Defence is a rapidly changing
landscape and inside you willfind cutting-edge projects fromacross the business – including
ingenious drones, high-techjammers and simulation
technology inspired by online
gaming - that demonstrate
DE&S has both the ability anddesire to be at the centre of theinnovation initiative.
There are also contributions
from key people across the
MOD who are involved in
making sure innovation is at
the heart of everything thedepartment does, both now andinto the future.
These include Vice Chief ofDefence Staff Admiral Timothy
Fraser CB ACD and DE&S’ very
own Tim Rowntree, Director
Engineering and Safety, whoshares his thoughts aroundthe importance of embracing
risk to ensure the armed forces
maintain a battle-winning edge.
In addition, there are casestudies from the recently
formed Future Capability Group,
highlighting the wonderful
opportunities available in ourorganisation.
It is an incredibly busy timeelsewhere. We are alreadyworking hard to support
defence transformation andthe Defence Industrial Strategy,

By Sir Simon Bollom, CEO3

as well as preparing andcontributing to the imminent
Defence Review, procurement
review and defence support
transformation.
I view all of these as anopportunity, not a threat, as
we have much to offer and will
thrive on change as an agile anddynamic organisation alwaysmust.
I saw many of those qualities
first-hand recently when I paida visit to our Maritime Combat
Systems team and saw how
they were leveraging the artof collaboration alongsidetechnology and autonomy toproduce some stunning results
about which you can read on
page 18.
Sharing knowledge and ideas
with our friends and allies is, ofcourse, vital.
I have found great value inhaving board-to-board meetings
with the front-line commands
and our Executive Committee
lead for each domain.
These frank and open
discussions around challenges
faced in the complex world of
programme delivery have been
invaluable.
And finally, I must mention
National ApprenticeshipWeek. I am incredibly proudof our apprenticeship schemeand the excellent people wehave recruited into the DE&S
scheme. I have met many ofthem and I am delighted by thecommitment and enthusiasm
shown as they set out on their
new career path.
Our apprentices received a lotof excellent coverage in regional
media, so thank you to all of
those who contributed.

desider March 2020
Contents

Contents

On the coverwww.gov.uk/government/publications/desider-2020
Twitter: @DefenceES

Innovation illustration

Facebook: @DefenceES
LinkedIn: Defence Equipment & Support
YouTube: DE&S

Editor:Tom Morris - 0117 9137888
tom.morris114@mod.gov.uk
Contributors:
Louisa Keefe, Louise Allford, Lowri Jones, Ashley Pitman,
Daniel Evans and Hannah Swingler
Special contributors:
Andrew Boosey, Sam Nicholas, Captain Kevin Noakes,
Buhe Ncube, Chris Chennell, Nat Reglar and Paul Mclennan
Photography and Design:

6

Katherine Williams, Jack Eckersley, Beth Squire,Charlie Perham, Mark Hawke and Andrew Linnett
Distribution Manager:
Dick Naughton - 0117 9134342
Dick.Naughton501@mod.gov.uk

Senior Leader Comment
Tim Rowntree, Director
Engineering and Safety

Advertising Manager:
Edwin Rodrigues
edwin.rodrigues@noahsarkmedia.com+44 (0) 748 257 1535

8

P8-A submarine hunterFirst touchdown in UK

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 canbe accepted for errors or omissions. Views expressed in desider, and products andservices advertised, are not necessarily endorsed by DE&S or the MOD. All editorial
submissions must be cleared by the relevant MOD authorities.

12© Crown Copyright

Procurement done differently

This magazine is printed on Novatech Matt FS 100gsm
which is Forest Stewardship Council certified material
from well-managed forests and elemental chlorine free.

Type 31 team rise to the challenge
4desider March 2020
Contents

14
Gladiator

MantisX

23

A new dawn for fighter-jet
training

Small arms trials

Providing big benefits to prisoners

22

Project Claustrum

29

16

Effective missiles

First Person

DE&S target exciting
technology

Future Capability Groupproject manager, Kris Davies

20

Defence GrowthPartnership

26

Innovation across DE&S – a look back5

32

DE&S' first ABW women’s
rugby team launchesdesider March 2020

Senior Leader Comment

Tim Rowntree, Director Engineering and Safety, on why
it is crucial that DE&S remains at the very heart of the
Defence Innovation InitiativeF

ollowing on from our March
2019 Innovation Desider
special, this edition once
again showcases some of theamazing innovation happening
right across DE&S. It is quite
striking that, in just a year,
innovative routes to bring stepchanges in military capability are
becoming embedded in the way
we think and the way we work
right across the business.
Te small, experimental
projects remain critical to
exploring new technologies andways of working, but we are now
also seeing programmes of real
substance coming through. Te
Type 31 frigate (page 12), forexample, is a substantial project
en-route to providing rapid
step-change improvements inmilitary capability. With thealarm bells around cyber, drones
and artifcial intelligence ringing
ever louder the ‘rapid’ elementof procurement is key and DE&S
must seek, indeed insist, on
remaining at the very heart of the
Defence Innovation Initiative.
We must embrace risk toensure our armed forces maintaina battle-winning edge, have thetools and technology to do theirjob and be courageous enough to
put a halt to work that is proving
unproductive.
DE&S’ Future CapabilityGroup (FCG) is key to thisand is evolving to become thecentral hub for DE&S, linking
out to the domains and frontline commands (FLCs), placing
acquisition advisers in capability
development areas to support the
FLCs and provide DE&S withearly insight into the emerging
requirements. We will be runninga pilot for this alongside Ships andthe Navy’s Nemesis programme,
which brings together the Navy
innovation projects. FCG alreadyhas a key role in wider Defence
innovation working to the
Director of Defence Innovation to
run the Spearhead Programmes
portfolio management ofce,
which will test our new innovative
approaches; and plays a key rolein the Exploitation Working
Group, which aims to ensure thatemerging technology gets pulled
through into capability.
FCG has successfully launched
its frst framework agreement tocreate an industry community
in the feld of Nano Unmanned
Air Systems (Nano UAS). Tis

We mustembrace risk
to ensure ourarmed forces
maintain abattle-winningedge and havethe tools andtechnology to
do their job

6

is a pilot for the Buy and Try at
Scale (BATS) commercial processthat the team developed to enable
rapid experimentation into
capability of novel technologies.
Tis is a great example;
pointing to the fact that
innovation and the exploration oftechnology are thriving at DE&S
and we are continuing to develop
the organisational interfaces andrelationships. Tis ensures thatnew ideas and projects can be
developed at pace, with the FLCs,
DE&S, head ofce in London, theDefence Science and Technology
Laboratory (Dstl) and industry all
working as one seamless team.
We already have a strong
capability to build on and are
perfectly placed to support bothhead ofce and the FLCs. We
also already have a key role atthe centre of the innovation
programme, extending to allareas of DE&S through the many
initiatives outlined in this issue,
including rapid developmentof FCG. DE&S is ready for the
innovation challenge and open forbusiness.

desider March 2020
MOD Comment

Defence Innovation - views from the key players
Vice Chief of Defence Staff Admiral Tim Fraser CB ADC

I

t is a pleasure to share theprogress DE&S has made towards
the modernisation of Defence,
being such an intrinsic part of our
Defence Innovation Network.
As we enter a new decade, theglobal landscape continues to shif.
Rapid technological, social andcultural changes are providing
huge opportunities to maintain our
military advantage – however, these
also pose threats as our adversaries
seek to use them against us. We
must continue to adapt, and weneed to be innovative. With theIntegrated Review now upon us, theDefence Innovation Unit are leading
work to consider how the Network
contributes to maintaining andenhancing our strategic edge.
Innovation cannot be enabled
without the right appetite for risk.
We must be agile in our delivery
approach and not be afraid to fail,harnessing valuable lessons to deliver
future projects. DE&S are rising to
the challenge and have been fully
engaged with the Acquisition Review.
Te DE&S Future Capabilities
Group led a piece of work to informa guide for programme SROs toassess the risk and complexity of

Clare Cameron,
Director Defence
Innovation“Both theupcoming
spending review
and integrated
review present uswith an exciting opportunity
to build upon the momentum
we have already gained
through the Defence
Innovation Initiative. We
should use this opportunity
to build upon thesefoundations and the amazing
work going on across thedepartment. We should
also consider where weshould focus the innovation
portfolio to enable Defence
to maintain its strategicedge and deliver on HMG’spriorities. Our work to createa culture that is ‘innovativeby instinct’ will remain at theheart of these eforts.”

their programmes. Tis will be
developed and rolled out as partof the Acquisition Transformation
workstream and will support wider
conversations on appropriate risk
appetite. With processes like thisbeing brought in, now is the time
to ignite our innovative instincts tocreate a culture that will rise to thecompetition of the ever-changing
threats of the 21st century anddeliver a safer future.
DE&S are already adopting thesenovel approaches, the frst Type 31
ship will be in the water in 2023. All
fve will be delivered of-contract by
the end of 2028. Type 31 will play apivotal role in the future feet. Te
fast-paced competition has given
industry fexibility to propose moreinnovative solutions that meet theRoyal Navy’s capability requirements.
It has also empowered new andcloser ways of working between theauthority and the customer in theprocess, to deliver the best possible
solution.
DE&S also plays a key role insupporting the delivery of theSpearhead portfolio, with theportfolio ofce in the Future
Capabilities Group. Head Ofce,

Defence Scienceand Technology
Laboratory, andthe front-line
commands as
the capability
customer, and ofcourse industry
all also have critical parts to play.
Tis innovative portfolio captures
the ambition of Defence to both
pursue step-changes in operational
capability, and to lead the way in how
we acquire these capabilities. Tis
has proved to be more testing than
we frst imagined – especially where
the fnancial context of Defence
has limited our ability to fully
implement these programmes. Yetinnovation is rarely straight forward.
Excitement is mixed with frustration,requiring persistence – a very humancharacteristic. And I know DE&S andthe people involved in this initiative
remain committed to the vision
exemplifed by the Spearheads, as
am I. Tese are exciting times andI am confdent that, in this case,persistence will reap its reward.

Deputy Chiefof Defence
Staf (Military
Capability) Air
Marshal Richard
Knighton

Dame Professor
Angela McLean,
MOD Chief
Scientifc Advisor“In my role as
DCDS(MilCap)
I am responsible for the innovation
portfolio within head ofce, thisincludes Defence Innovation Unit
(DIU) and Defence and Security
Accelerator (DASA).
Te DE&S Future Capabilities
Group (FCG) has strong links
with defence innovation unit,
playing a key role in managing theSpearheads portfolio and helping
evaluate bids for the Defence
Innovation fund. DASA also work
closely with FCG, who are now
managing the Defence GrowthPartnership projects- which
originated as a DASA challenge.
Te link between DASA and DE&S
will be key in making sure new
agile ways of delivering capability to
the front-line are achieved.”
7“Te
department’s
investment inscience, technology
and innovation is in many
ways our insurance policy
against the accelerating pace oftechnological change and theopportunities and threats thispresents: helping to understandthe technological landscapeand mitigate strategic shocks.
DE&S is opening doors to
invite innovative andhi-tech commercial
industries tocontribute toproviding
new militarycapability. I
look forward
to their future
successes.”desider March 2020
NewsRAF submarine hunter touches down on UK soil
Pictured: The P-8A Poseidon arrives at Kinloss (Picture by Sgt Ashley Keates RAF)

P

oseidon’s frst landing on
UK soil was a proud day
for everyone involved indelivering the new submarinehunting maritime patrol aircraf(MPA).
ZP801 – known as the Prideof Moray – is the frst in a feet ofnine state-of-the-art jets which will
improve the RAF’s ability to track
hostile targets below and above thewaves.
Tey will protect the UK’scontinuous at-sea nuclear
deterrent and be central to NATOmissions across the North Atlantic,
co-operating closely with the US
and Norwegian Poseidon feets.
From getting the green light in
mid-2016 it took DE&S less than
three-and-a-half years to get tothe exciting point last Octoberwhen the frst Boeing-developed
Poseidon was handed over to the
RAF in Jacksonville, Florida.
Last month, members of DE&S’
P-8A delivery team – including
team leader Michelle Sanders,senior commercial ofcer Stuart
Whiting and infrastructure project
manager Nick Marshall – had thehonour of witnessing the Pride of
Moray land at Kinloss Barracks.
Michelle, said: “Te day

provided an opportunity for us
to take time to celebrate all of
the hard work the team at DE&S
has undertaken over the past fve
years.
“Seeing the aircraf arrive into
Kinloss Barracks escorted by two
Typhoons was a moment I will
never forget and the feeling of
excitement from those aroundme continued throughout therest of the day including a smallercelebration at RAF Lossiemouth,
the eventual home of the Poseidon
feet.
“Being able to see a programmefrom its very start through todelivery has been a fantastic
opportunity.
“It was less than a year earlier
that I was at Spirit Aerospace inWichita witnessing the layingof the keel of ZP801 as that frst
fuselage entered production.”
Poseidon is designed to carryout extended surveillance missions
at high and low altitudes andis equipped with cutting-edge
sensors which use high-resolution
area mapping to fnd bothsubmarines and surface vessels.
Each aircraf carries sonobuoys,
which are dropped into the sea
to search for enemy submarines,

Seeing the aircraft
arrive into Kinloss
Barracks escorted by
two Typhoons was amoment I will neverforget and the feelingof excitement fromthose around me
continued throughout
the rest of the day
Michelle Sanders,team leader

8

survey the battlespace under thesea, and relay data back to theaircraf.
Poseidon is also planned to bearmed with Harpoon anti-surface
ship missiles and Mk54 torpedoes
capable of attacking both surface
and sub-surface targets.
Stephen Horrocks, head ofMulti-Mission Aircraf at DE&S,
said: “We’re getting back into themaritime patrol game, which
we got out of with the demise of
Nimrod in 2010.
“It means a lot for the RAF
and it’s a good news story for
DE&S in terms of delivery fromapproval in mid-2016, to accepting
our frst aircraf last October inJacksonville, Florida.
“Tat’s some going. Tere wasa lot of excitement accepting our
frst P-8A Poseidon aircraf inJacksonville. Tere was even more
excitement when she came home.”
All nine Poseidons will bedelivered to the RAF by the end of2021 and achieve full operational
capability from RAF Lossiemouth– where a new £132 million
strategic facility is being built – in2024.

desider March 2020
News

DE&S investigate technology with life-saving potential
Pictured: DE&S are looking at the potential of unmanned air systems (Picture submitted)T

he Future CapabilityGroup (FCG) at DE&S
are investigating whether
unmanned air systems (UAS)
could be used to rescue personnel
who fall overboard from the Royal
Navy’s largest ships, including thetwo new aircraf carriers.
In a ‘man-over-board’ (MOB)
situation, the largest warships
do not have the necessary
manoeuvrability to reposition
quickly enough to afect arecovery. In addition, dependent
on how rough the sea is, theirboats cannot always be launched.
With the rapid onset of
hypothermia in cold waters,
resulting in a very real risk to life,
there is a pressing need to get theperson out of the water and intosome form of shelter whilst either
the ship, sea boat or helicopter are
actioned to make a recovery.
Now FCG is working withcompanies in the UK and US
to combine a GFX UAS with
an autonomous fight system, aperson-in-water detection system
and raf deployment to create afully autonomous man overboard
recovery system.
It is hoped the system will
be able to deploy automaticallyin tune to an alarm, locate theperson, deploy a life raf and thenmaintain position over the MOB
so they can be easily located in thewater by the appropriate rescue
craf.
Te investigation, which is being
funded through the Royal Navy
Discovery Assessment and Rapid
Exploitation (DARE) Innovation
fund, falls under Project Minerva
and is an example of small
or medium-sized enterprises
working collaboratively to carryout research and development
activities to inform how Defence
could beneft from technologies
and discover innovative ways ofworking.
FCG project manager, Jamie
Jarman, said: “Mitigating therisk to life is really important.
UAS technology is growing
exponentially and we need tobetter understand how this can beapplied in Defence. Tis type ofinvestigation has not been done
before within the MOD and, assuch, carries a high level of risk butwith a high level of benefts.”
FCG portfolio manager,
Rakesh Takooree, added: “Being
able to exploit technologies in
the pre-concept space requires
a greater risk appetite and being
comfortable to work in an area ofBeing able to exploit
technologies in the preconcept space requires
a greater risk appetiteand being comfortable
to work in an areaof technologicaluncertainty. This is how
innovative solutions are
generated
FCG portfolio manager,
Rakesh Takooree

9

technological uncertainty. Tis
is how innovative solutions are
generated.”
FCG were given the task
to investigate technology by
Lieutenant Commander PeterWhitehead, who is the innovationcommander within the Navy.

desider March 2020
News In Brief

Special covers keep RAF Chinooks
in tip-top condition
RAF Chinooks are deployed
in a wide range of conditions –from sandstorm-ridden deserts
to jungles and inhospitable seas.
When the aircraf are not being
used, the 60-strong feet need tobe taken care of to ensure they arealways ready for deployment inany condition. Tis is where Fine
Group come in.
Te frm, based in London,has been awarded a contract tomake and supply the MOD witha range of 48 diferent protective
covers and accessories for eachhelicopter. Te all-weather items
provided by Fine Group for the
30-metre-long aircraf vary fromlarger covers for parts such as the
cockpit and engines, to smaller
ones for fare dispensers andescape hatches.

Mark Geoghegan, DE&S’
Chinook team leader, said:“Te aircraf cover setsare unique to, and have been
designed specifcally for, the UK
Chinook feet. As such, it wasnecessary to undertake a bespoke
procurement.
“Te aircraf must be able tooperate in the most challenging
weather conditions, from the
Arctic Circle to the deserts of the
Middle East.”

CEO sharesideas with
Dutch
counterpart
DE&S CEO Sir Simon Bollom
met with Holland’s director of the
Defence Materiel Organisation(DMO) during a visit to industry.
Sir Simon took the opportunity
to discuss a number of topics
with his Dutch counterpart,Vice Admiral Arie Jan de Waard,
including the potential ofcollaboration on ships, land, airand cyber domains.
Both Sir Simon and Vice
Admiral de Waard had visitedTales’ Turnchapel Wharf site inPlymouth to see an autonomousmine countermeasures systemdeveloped by Tales with SAAB
and ASV for the Royal Navy and
French Navy.
Based on surface andsubmarine robots and drones, thissolution aims to keep sailors awayfrom the threat. Tis system isalso based on artifcial intelligence
technologies the company says
will signifcantly improve thedetection and identifcation of thethreat.

The Queen visits RAF Marham
In her frst ofcial engagementof 2020, the Queen visited RAF
Marham to see the base’s new
training facilities and watch
the new F-35B fghter jets land
vertically.
As Her Majesty arrived at thestation, children from local school
Cherry Tree Academy and the
Rainbow Centre – a day nurseryneighbouring the base – alongwith families and members of
the local community lined theroads cheering and waving fags,
welcoming her as the Royal car
passed by.

Her Majesty is the Honorary
Air Commodore of the Norfolk
base, home to more than 3,600
working personnel. During her
visit, the Queen met trainee pilots
from the RAF and Royal Navy,listening to why technicianslearn their trade at a £6.4 million
life-sized model of an F-35B
fghter jet in the new Integrated
Training Centre, and watched ademonstration of virtual training
in the Air System MaintenanceTrainer classroom.

10

desider March 2020
News In Brief

Unveiling
the new F-35
reprogramminglab
Te Lightning Delivery Team
recently helped deliver a new£140 million facility for the F-35
Lightning II at Eglin Air Force
Base in Florida, US.
Te Australia and United
Kingdom reprogramming lab will
be used to input intelligence data,
as well as generate and test a wide
range of mission data fles (MDF),
for Australian and UK F-35 jets.
Minister for Defence
Procurement Jeremy Quin said:“Te F-35 is one of the mostadvanced pieces of technology
ever created. Tis new lab willallow British and Australianjets to constantly evolve andupgrade with every new pieceof information they absorb, thus
maintaining their dominantposition as the world’s preeminent warfghting aircraf.”
Described as the brains of theaircraf, the MDF are extensive
on-board data systems compilinginformation on geography, airspace and potential threats. Tey
optimise the Lightning’s sensors
to refect the environment inwhich it is being fown. Data
prepared at the lab can be sent
electronically to F-35s anywhereacross the globe.
Director Combat Air at DE&S,
Air Vice-Marshal Keith Bethell,
who was at Eglin for the opening
ceremony, said: “DE&S worked
closely with our partners andindustry to deliver this importantfacility, which will unleash the fullpotential of the formidable F-35
aircraf.”
Te UK contributed £70
million to the reprogramming lab
which, although based in the US,
remains under the command andcontrol of the UK and Australian
governments.

RAF take part in Exercise Red Flag
Te UK F-35 Lightning II jets
recently took part in Exercise Red
Flag, which saw them fying in thecompany of a variety of aircraf
from other nations.
Exercise Red Flag is anadvanced multi-national combat
training exercise which takes
place at one of the largest fghterbases in the world, on the
expansive bombing ranges of the
Nevada Test and Training
Area, USA.

Tis is the frst time the UK’s
F-35B took part in the annual
exercise, which provided theaircrews with experience ofmultiple realistic and intensive
air combat ofensives whilst
in the safety of a training area,
maximising combat readiness,
capability and interoperability.

Jeremy Quin is new Min DP
Jeremy Quin has been
appointed Minister for Defence
Procurement.
Jeremy, the MP for Horsham
since 2015, succeeds James
Heappey, who is now Minister for
the Armed Forces.
Before entering politics, Jeremy
worked in corporate fnance for25 years, latterly as Managing
Director of Deutsche Bank.
In 2008/9, he served on
secondment as senior corporate
fnance adviser to HM Treasury,
assisting them on the UK’s
response to the fnancial crisis.
In July 2018, Jeremy accepted
a role in the Government as a11member of the Whips’ Ofce andwas promoted to serve as a senior
Whip (as Comptroller of HM
Household) in July 2019.
In December 2019, Jeremy
became Parliamentary
Secretary in the Cabinet Ofcewith responsibilities for theGovernment Commercial
Function and other crossGovernment programmes.
As Min DP, Jeremy isresponsible for the Defence
Equipment Plan; relations withthe defence industry; defence
exports; defence science andtechnology; and defence estatesand infrastructure.

desider March 2020
FeaturePictured top: CGI of Babcock's proposal for Type 31 and below; Christian Mclean-Mair, Anne-Marie Goodman, Kyla Isbell and Stephen Whitbread from the Type 31 project
team (Pictures courtesy of Babcock and Jack Eckersley)12desider March 2020
FeatureNews

Procurement done
differently: Type 31 teamrise to the challengeIn September 2017, the National Shipbuilding Strategy
gave DE&S an unprecedented challenge: design
and build fve general purpose frigates for just £250
million each.
Te fve ships will be delivered by the end of 2028;
replacing the UK’s Type 23 general purpose frigates, todeter aggression and maintain the security of the UK’s
interests around the globe.
Delivering the Type 31 frigate is an ongoing test that
continues to bring out the best in DE&S; calling on worldleading expertise and experience to achieve the best
results through competitive market engagement and an
innovative build strategy.
Having signed a contract with the MOD on November
15, 2019, Babcock International has confrmed steel will
be cut for the frst ship in 2021 at Rosyth and that it will
be in the water in 2023.
But how is the work being delivered in such atimescale?
Crucially, the DE&S team is working jointly with
Navy Command, a truly unifed approach which allows
working at pace while speaking with one clear voice tosuppliers.
Tis means team members feel empowered to go
beyond the call of duty; diving into new skills andexperiences to get the job done.
DE&S Head of Type 31, Commodore Paul Carroll,said: “I encourage our team to focus on what’s important,strongly resist the unnecessary and present clear, timely
choices to senior leaders across Defence and in the
Treasury.”
But what was unique about the way in which the Type
31 competition was run?
“We went to industry with an envelope of money that
we had available. Tat’s never usually done,” said cost
controller Anne-Marie Goodman.
Commercial lead Kyla Isbell added: “We basically
set industry a very difcult puzzle to solve by setting afnancial head mark they had to meet. It proved to be agood mechanism for driving competitive tension.”
Time was of the essence too. Bidder engagement was
conducted in parallel and approvals were streamlined.
“We pretty much nailed every single milestone andthat was the thing which really built confdence,” she said.
“Tat was due to a whole team efort.
“Normally in big ship-building procurements you
would have an assessment phase, design phase, then amanufacture phase.
“Rather than having things done sequentially, weparalleled up the activity which took out a huge amountof time. Te choreography of all the engagements and the
project management of that was immense.
“We’ve proved you could do something quicker andnot only was the short timescale a really good way of
us managing industry and the bid, it also helped us to
manage our internal stakeholders as well.”Setting a budget of £250 million per frigate meant
efciencies had to be found. For example, the Type 31s
did not have to be designed from scratch – Babcock’s
solution is based on and built upon the proven designof the Iver Huitfeldt frigate already in service with theDanish Navy.
13

Te design’s adaptability means it has the potential
to evolve to meet future requirements while also being
attractive enough for export.
Commercial manager Stephen Whitbread, said: “Oneof the key things was negotiating the terms and conditions
during the tender phase.
“Because we maintained the competitive tension while
we were negotiating in parallel with all three bidders– Babcock, BAE Systems and Atlas – it meant we got amuch better outcome and we could proceed to contract
rapidly. Critically, Industry rose to the challenge we setthem and were in turn empowered to ofer innovative
solutions. Tis generated a momentum and enthusiasm
for the project from all involved.
“Ordinarily, you would go onto a big programme andyou might not see the end result of all your hard work.
“We all had a goal we were focused on and being there
basically from the beginning to achieving the contract
signing in 12-15 months was really satisfying. It kept our
motivation high.”
Stephen also enjoyed the tightness of the team andfreedom to be involved in various aspects of the process.
He added: “It was more of a fat organisational
structure rather than a traditional, hierarchical civil
service structure.
“We all pulled together and I was able to get involvedin pretty much everything rather than being stove-piped
into one area.
“People may have thought: ‘You can’t do that, it’s notachievable, it’s never going to work’. We held frm and had
confdence in our own abilities to actually deliver.”In line with the National Shipbuilding Strategy,
DE&S worked with the Navy to minimise the amount ofGovernment Furnished Equipment (GFE) earmarked forType 31- supplying only that which is vital to deliver theright capability. Tis method, coupled with a more “handsof ” approach has meant that together with industry,
DE&S were able to deliver the best possible solution andreal value for money.
Working on Type 31 was a dream come true for project
management graduate Christian Mclean-Mair, who had
previously worked on the A400M.
“I’d been angling to join Type 31 since I joined DE&S,”
he said.
“When the halting of the initial competition wasannounced it was about a week afer I had been told I
could come onto the team, so I was a bit worried, but
I needn’t have been. It was amazing to see how quickly
people managed to turn it around and keep within theinitial timetable.
“Tere aren’t many people who have been able to comein on a graduate scheme and get to see a complex warshipprogress from an initial negotiation into a design andbuild contract within a year. I’d love to do something likethis again.”
When the contract with Babcock was signed it was avery proud moment for everyone involved.
Anne-Marie added: “We were defnitely juggling a
lot of balls, but the competition has delivered the rightoutcome and I can’t wait to see the ships built.”

desider March 2020
News

Gladiator heralds a new dawn for fighter-jet training
Pictured: Typhoon pictured as part of Exercise Cobra Warrior (Picture by Cpl Lee Matthews RAF)

I

nnovative simulation
technology inspired by online
gaming will allow UK fghter
jet pilots to train together virtuallyfrom various RAF bases.
Te capability, known as
Gladiator, was announced by the
Minister for Defence Procurementin May 2019. Since then, work
has ramped up on this innovative
programme and the military arelooking at how it could meet thesynthetic training needs of various
platforms. For example, Typhoon
is aiming for a 50/50 blend ofsynthetic and live fying, and F-35
Lightning II is aiming to completea large percentage of collective
training using Gladiator.
Gladiator is provided byBoeing Defence UK (BDUK) andoperated on an MOD network.
Te system allows multiple
aircrew to experience the same
battlefeld environment and threats
simultaneously. It will enable pilots
to exercise capabilities, tactics
and procedures that would be
impossible in the live environment
due to airspace, aircraf availability,
or security constraints.
Trough incremental
acquisition, Gladiator will evolve
allowing the UK to undertake
synthetic training for air, land andmaritime forces, all on a secure
network and safe in the knowledge
that the training cannot be
observed by adversaries.
Stuart Laferty, Flight Simulationand Synthetic Trainers (FsAST)team leader, said: “With Gladiator

we can fy a large number ofaircraf together at any one time,
which in real-life training would
be almost impossible and notcost efective. Gladiator is aboutallowing pilots to do things they
couldn’t normally practice in thereal world. In addition, pilots won’t
be aging aircraf, burning jet fuelor fring expensive weapons –these are important environmental
and fnancial benefts to theMOD.”
Gladiator combines commercial,of-the-shelf sofware with somebespoke elements, providing a
step change in synthetic training.
It uses advanced technology to
produce realistic mapping, terrain
and weather efects.
Gary Williams, Defence
Operational Training Capability
Air (DOTC(A) Core System
and Services (DCS&S) delivery
manager, said: “Gladiator draws
upon gaming technology but
is much more advanced thanthat – for example, Xbox and
PlayStation gamers get frustrated
that they cannot join up on thesame network. With Gladiator, you
can be part of the same training
exercise no matter what simulator
you are sitting in.”Typhoon and Lightning II pilots
based out of RAF Coningsby, RAF
Lossiemouth and RAF Marham
will be the frst to fy virtual
missions using Gladiator. Tereare opportunities for Maritime andLand platforms to use the system

Pilots won’t be aging
aircraft, burning
jet fuel or firing
expensive weapons– these are importantenvironmental andfinancial benefits to
the MOD
Stuart Lafferty, Flight
Simulation and Synthetic
Trainers team leader

14with Protector, Type 45, Type 26,
Apache, Crowsnest, Poseidon, E-7
Wedgetail and other platforms
expected to join. UK pilots will
also use Gladiator to conductsynthetic training exercises with
the US and NATO.
DOTC(A) DCS&S is the project
team responsible for procuring theequipment needed for Gladiator,
which will be housed at RAF
Waddington. Tis includes theexercise management equipment,
and hardware which hosts thecapability.
Te team have completed thesystem requirements review,
preliminary design review and thecritical design review – a DE&S
Strategic Milestone – on time
and within just nine months ofcontract award.
Te frst training exercise for
Typhoon aircrew using Gladiator
is due to take place in April 2021,
which will signal the declarationof Initial Operating Capability
for Air Command. Te joint fressynthetic training and Lightning
II connections are expected to be
added later in 2021.
Te contract with Boeing
Defence UK includes the design
and manufacture of the simulation
systems and sofware, as wellas the frst fve years of support– sustaining up to 40 highlyskilled UK jobs. Te design andmanufacture of the sofware willtake place in Fleet in Hampshire,
and Bristol.

Picture: Charlie Perhamdesider March 2020
DE&S People

On inspiring innovation,
football woes and about
being more pirate
Kris Davies is project manager High Altitude Pseudo
Satellite within the Future Capability Group (FCG), which
is looking to capitalise on emerging technologies
What does your role involve?

because the leadership is open
to challenge. It’s a healthy ethos
to have. Too ofen ideas can bedismissed within the frst threeseconds by someone not giving it
due consideration. A hallmark ofany high-performing team is thatthey always invite challenge toensure what they are doing is still
the best possible way and mustn’t
be afraid to change. I’ve been
inspired by studying the cultureof the New Zealand All Blacks
rugby team and would encourage
everyone to look at the 15 core
principles they introduced to be
the best. It’s a lesson in any walkof life.

I’ve worked within FCG(previously Tech Ofce) for thelast fve years and have been partof the Innovation Team for the
majority of the last three years.
Te team’s role continues to focus
on placing innovation at the heartof DE&S business so that we candeliver our armed forces with
innovative equipment that helps
them maintain the battle-winningedge. I have now moved on within
FCG to project manage High
Altitude Pseudo Satellite (HAPS); a
pre-concept project.
What about your role isexciting, rewarding orinteresting?

How are you helping embedchange in your area?

I have enjoyed playing aleading role in organising theInspiring Innovation days at
Abbey Wood over the last three
years; trying to push people
outside of their comfort zones
and doing something diferent
within DE&S. I believe this isvital if you want to be a forwardthinking organisation. I enjoy
working within a team where we
accept that we have to increase
our appetite for risk if DE&S isgoing to capitalise on emerging
technologies and accept that
failure also has a value, which
can make you stronger moving
forward.

Over the last few years, I
have been involved in manychange initiatives, from theimplementation of the MOD
Innovation fund within DE&S
where personnel are encouraged
to submit ideas (mostly technical);to provide new or enhanced
equipment to the front-line. Aspart of Inspiring Innovation
2019, I devised a ‘Be More Pirate’workshop with a number oftalented people from a broad
range of grades and functions;encouraging people to have thecourage to challenge the status
quo so that we can be the best
we can. Te response we had
was overwhelmingly positive
and I loved working alongside
new people. I hope to be partof something that builds on
this workshop over the coming
year because I honestly believe
anything is possible with an open
mind and I live by this.

How important to you is
teamwork?

Teamwork is vital if you want
to be efective. I’ve always enjoyedworking in teams most when
everyone (regardless of grade or
stature) feels like they can havea say and infuence decisions
17

Why did you choose to pursue
a career in DE&S?

Te chance to build a career andthe vast amount of opportunities
and experiences that exist makes
a career here very appealing. I’ve
also enjoyed working with somany good people over the last 15
years.
What do you most enjoy about
your job?

Te challenge and the feelingthat I can make a diference.
I’m not the kind of person who
takes any satisfaction from doing
something which is either easy or I
don’t believe in. I also love learning
about new things and learningfrom new people along the way.
What do you enjoy doing inyour spare time?

I like to travel and explore
places that I have never been
before with my other half, be thatin this country or further afeld.
I love spending time with my
10-year-old son, who never fails
to make me smile with his wacky
sense of humour. I also enjoy goingfor long walks with our two dogs,
who couldn’t be more diferent if
they tried but they complement
each other’s personalities perfectly.
I’m also a huge Bristol Rovers fan,although that’s been more of achore of late.
What might surprise people
about you?

I’m renovating a house with mygirlfriend. Anyone who knows me
will fnd this unbelievable.

desider March 2020
NewsTransforming Surface Ship Combat Systems
Pictured: Maritime Combat Systems are delivering a dynamic programme (Picture by LPhot Alex Ceolin)Maritime Combat Systems(MCS) continue to forge
ahead in delivering a
dynamic programme of work thatis transforming the way combat
systems in surface warships
operate in an ever-evolving battlespace.
Te move from black box
bespoke technologies to open
architectures has signalled thedawn of a new agile era of delivery
to the front-line warfghter andmeets the Royal Navy’s evergrowing and more complex
operational needs.
Having an open architecture
benefts the Royal Navy as thoseonboard warships can add,
upgrade and even swap capabilities
more quickly and just as safely. It
also means DE&S has the ability tocompete in a wider marketplace,which helps drive down costs,
while increasing efciency andefectiveness.
Central to this transformation
has been the introduction ofshared infrastructure (SI),providing a common hosting
environment, enabling sofwarebased applications to be rapidly
deployed to the front-line.
HMS Queen Elizabeth has
already deployed with the systemand the next few years will see
open architecture combat systems
rolled-out to all surface warships.

Captain Kevin Noakes, theCombat System Design Authority
within the MCS team at DE&S,
said: “SI will enhance our ability todeliver capability faster, increasetechnology exploitation and bringabout increased opportunities
across our industrial base.
“In essence this is breaking theclose coupling that has previously
existed between hardware andsofware delivery, thus enabling
bespoke capability to be delivered
through individual applications
that can be delivered and updated
in a more efcient and agile
manner, in the same way wecan get new apps to our mobile
phones.”In addition, an ‘App Locker’
has been developed to support
the delivery of application-based
capability to Royal Navy ships. It
is supporting the future testing,development, assurance and thedeployment of applications tofront-line complex warships.
Captain Noakes added:“Te App Locker has provided
the framework to deliver new
capabilities to the front-line in anagile way never envisaged in thepast and transforms my ability
as the Combat System Design
Authority to react to an everchanging threat.”
A key part of the continuing
success of this programme has

Shared Infrastructure
will enhance ourability to delivercapability faster,increase technology
exploitation and bringabout increased
opportunities acrossour industrial base
Captain Kevin Noakes, theCombat System Design
Authority within the MCS
team at DE&S

18

been the Maritime Mission System
Enterprise Board (MMSEB), a
collaboration of DE&S, NCHQ,
the Defence Science andTechnology Laboratory and 12of the prime maritime mission
system suppliers.
Jo Osburn, head of MCS andChair of the MMSEB, said: “Teboard is focused on delivering
real beneft to the end customer
through greater efciency ofdelivery, exploitation of common
good practice and innovation, anddealing with enterprise-wide issues
in a collaborative and supportiveway.”
Te work of MMSEB enjoyedsuccess at DSEI 2019 where, forthe frst time, an autonomous
vessel was able to transmit imagery
and track data to a live operational
combat system in a Type 23
frigate. Open architecture allowed
this to be done in six weeks andat a fraction of the cost of normal
integration.
Russell Brown, Director Ships
Support, said: “Tis is great
delivery, enabling a new era incombat systems to be delivered
to the front-line warfghter, fully
supporting one of the key themesof the Navy’s transformation, thatof embracing technology andinnovation.”

Innovation funded

desider March 2020
FeatureDefence GrowthPartnership – a way toinnovate in both ‘what’
and ‘how’ we deliverIn 2018, around £10 million of funding wasinvested into the winners of the fnal phase of the
Defence Growth Partnership (DGP) Innovation
Challenge. Te winning innovations were selectedfrom more than 400 UK companies and given
freedom to pursue and deliver innovative solutions
from across future information capability priorities
such as persistent surveillance, agile and immersive
training, autonomy and ‘big data’. Tey included
shrewd navigation sofware, artifcial intelligencedriven autonomous vehicles, laser radar and mixedreality training systems.
Interest in the challenge demonstrated industry’s
appetite to meet the complex challenges of modern
warfare as well as underlining DE&S’ intent tolook at new ways of getting pioneering technology
from concept to the battlefeld to ensure our armed
forces remain a step ahead of their adversaries. Te
successful companies received combined investment
and support worth more than £4 million from the
MOD and £6 million from industry partners toensure their technologies are developed fully.
Te investment from the MOD contributes aspart of the wider £800 million Defence Innovation
Initiative. Following the ‘Dragon’s Den’ selectionof four of the most viable products, the DE&S
Future Capability Group (FCG) helped negotiate
contracts within four months. Over the past year,
FCG has pledged support towards future capability
exploitation, export opportunities and assurance
to four companies. Te DGP capability-proving
programme encompasses MOD, DE&S FCG, UK
Defence Solutions Centre (UKDSC), Defence Scienceand Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Defence andSecurity Accelerator (DASA), industry and front-line
commands who will engage, collaborate and support
the maturation of these technologies beyond thecommercialisation phase.

Alternative Satellite
Navigation-ATLAS – HORIBAMIRAATLAS sofware is being developed by HORIBAMIRA in a bid to prove battlefeld navigation is possible
when global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) arecompromised. Te sofware uses cameras and on-board
artifcial intelligence processing to identify landmarks
and compares them against a map to determine theuser’s location. Te system uses only passive sensors,
making it difcult to detect or jam and this enables
vehicles to localise and navigate in contested battlefeld
environments when GNSS is expected to be unavailable.
In 2018, £1.8 million of joint investment was invested forthe development and production of prototype systems
which are being integrated into military vehicles. FCG is
working with platform teams in DE&S as well as engaging
and collaborating with industry, Dstl, UKDSC and the
Army and Defence Innovation Unit to identify and shaperequirements and challenges in support of integration,
trials and demonstration. An early prototype of the ATLAS
GNSS-denied navigation system was used to support theautonomous operation of the Viking Unmanned Ground
Vehicle on coalition assured autonomous resupply (CAAR)
Capstone trials at Camp Grayling in the USA last year.

20desider March 2020
FeatureNews

Hyper Real Immersion –Close
Air Solutions
Hyper real immersion (HRI), part of the agile andimmersive training strand, has the potential to transform
operational training landscape through mixed reality.
A joint investment of around £2 million enables HRI to
take all the established benefts of simulation and fuse it
into a live environment where the use of mixed reality
technology creates a fully-immersive training environment
where the user cannot tell what is real and what is not.
Tis allows complex and operationally-relevant training to
be conducted without the need for costly live assets, suchas fast jets and artillery rounds as these can be displayed
synthetically in the ‘live’ scenario. During 2019, HRI had
early user-level support from 1st Artillery Brigade, Joint
Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) and the Joint Air
Land Liaison Organisation (JALO) cases demonstrated
that complex training can be conducted using mixed
reality. FCG support HRI in achieving its goals so they candevelop and showcase the product, as well as supporting
wider sales and exploitation. Potential savings of up
to 70 per cent are attracting international interest as arevolutionary way to prepare for operational deployment.
In addition, HRI enables immensely challenging andimmersive training to be conducted safely within peace
time safety constraints, thus improving the operational
efectiveness of our war fghters across a broad spectrum of
scenarios and environments.

Software Defined
Multifunction LIDAR QinetiQ
As part of the persistent surveillance strand,
sofware defned multi-function (SDML) Light
Detection and Ranging (LIDAR) is being developedby QinetiQ and one of their key partners, Airbus,
for use on high altitude pseudo satellites (HAPS)
with a joint investment of £5 million. LIDAR is likeradar but uses light instead of radio waves, enabling
airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance(ISR) optical collection capabilities and secure,high bandwidth optical comms between land, air,sea and space platforms. QinetiQ believe SDML
technology ofers game-changing capabilities anddelivers a range of unique benefts. During 2019,
QinetiQ commenced testing, integration and systembuilding of the payload with Airbus, who are oneof their key partners. Tese include unprecedented
versatility where users can swap between a numberof intelligence surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR)
and communications modes, including 3D mapping
and target marking. Weighing just 4kg and with plansfor it to be environmentally qualifed to fy in thestratosphere, SDML is also expected to ofer secureand high bandwidth while saving money throughreduction of administrative costs.

Northstar –TP Group
Formally known as Ants on Deck (AOD), Northstar
is part of the autonomy strand that enables or enhances
unmanned surface platforms by producing real time,
dynamic route management with collision avoidancein complex and constantly changing environments.
Te platform agnostic system autonomously generates
optimal routes, considering environmental conditionsand vessel dynamics, optimised against multiple userdefned constraints, for example performance, time andcost. Tought to have huge market and export potential,
Northstar has received more than £1.8 million of invested
funding to extend and demonstrate the innovative suite. TP
Group is collaborating with key partners including FCG to
support integration onto two distinct platforms to showcase
the capability in the Defence domain. Later this year, plans
to demonstrate this technology in a targeted mine countermeasures (MCM) scenario are scheduled and hoped toshowcase the product and its main capability.

21

Innovation funded

desider March 2020
News

Small arms trials under way aimed at giving British
armed forces the edge
Pictured: Innovative MantisX system being trialled by DE&S for improved performance (Picture by Jack Eckersley)

D

E&S are trialling an
innovative tool to aid
small arms marksmanshipaimed at giving British armed
forces the edge on the battlefeld
while reducing training costs.
Chris Chennell, a seniorarchitect within the DE&S
Chief Information Ofce, andJamie Jones, of Defence General
Munitions in the Weapons
Operating Centre, started thetrials with a system called MantisX
afer securing £150,000 from the
Defence Innovation Fund.
Te MantisX system analyses
and evaluates each shot, identifes
areas that need to be addressed
and generates data the user can
immediately use to improve theiraccuracy.
Te system, which delivers via
Bluetooth the information froma sensor ftted to your chosen
frearm to your smartphone, canbe used during live fring or ‘dry’shooting – the practice of shooting
a frearm without any ammunitionin the chamber.
On the ground this means
members of the armed forces
are provided quickly and easily
with scientifc data that helps
them immediately improve theirperformance.
Chris and Jamie estimate theability to dry train will alone
result in an annual saving of £1.2
million on the use of ammunition,with further savings available in
reduced training hours.
Chris said: “Existingmarksmanship training ofen
comes down to someone watching
the frer and trying to fgure out
where they are going wrong.
“Tis system takes away
guesswork and provides
immediate and accurate scientifc
data that identifes exactly what
you need to do to improve yourperformance.”
With their Defence Innovation
Fund allocation Chris and Jamie
bought 70 MantisX systems
for £25,000 and spent a further£80,000 integrating existing
MOD shooting practices into thesofware so that personnel canhave the same experience during
training as they would on a range
with an instructor.
Jamie said: “We initially started
with a small-scale trial whichfeatured eight soldiers from myreserves unit taking part in amarksmanship competition andwe saw a 20 per cent improvementin their scores using the MantisX
system over just one week. Tis
saw them fnish in second placecompared to a previous best

I believe MantisX isthe best coaching
simulation system I
have come across in
24 years’ service andthis will make massive
improvements tomarksmanship acrossall the forces
Warrant Officer 1 Brian
Trainner of ITDU

22

position of 10th.”Since then, the system has been
involved in wider trials with Army
battalions in the UK and abroadafer a ‘train the trainer’ event at
the Infantry Trials & Development
Unit in Warminster.
WO1 Brian Trainner of theunit, said: “I believe MantisX is thebest coaching simulation systemI have come across in 24 years’service and this will make massive
improvements to marksmanshipacross all the forces.”
Jamie said: “Te trials are goingvery well and we now have asituation where instead of people
trying to fgure out what someone
is doing wrong, we have a device
not only telling them accurately
what they are doing wrong but also
telling them how to correct it.”
Chris added: “We genuinely
think this can have a big impact
and will spend the remaining
fund money on updated versionsof MantisX that can analyse
automatic fre, and on obtaining
a secure home in the UK forthe storage of the data we are
generating.”
If successful, it is hoped
MantisX could be introduced in
2021.

desider March 2020
News

Project Claustrum – a small initiative which isproviding big benefits to prisoners
Pictured: A prisoner refurbishing flat racks at HMP Lindholme (Picture by Andrew Linnett)

A

collaborative initiative
between DE&S and Her
Majesty’s Prison and
Probation Service (HMPPS) is
helping to up-skill hundreds ofprisoners, aiding their prospectsof gaining employment on releaseand lowering the risk of reofending.
Project Claustrum is acollaboration between the
Operational Infrastructure (OI)
team in the Land Equipment
Operating Centre at DE&S and
New Futures Network, HMPPS– part of the Ministry of Justice(MOJ). Te two parties work
together to deliver mutual benefts
to the UK taxpayer, both interms of savings to the MOD andreducing the risk of re-ofending
upon release.
Since its inception in 2014,
Project Claustrum – Latin for
prison – has been responsible
for the upskilling of hundreds ofprisoners at HMP Lindholme, near
Doncaster, in engineering andwoodwork. Individuals involved in
the work are risk-assessed and they
have spent around 190,000 manhours refurbishing 1,540 fat racks
for use with the Demountable

Rack Ofoad and Pickup System(DROPS) and Enhanced Pallet
Load System (EPLS) vehicles.
DROPS and EPLS are used by thearmed forces to supply equipmenton operations both here andoverseas. By refurbishing thisequipment, rather than buying
new, it's estimated that the MOD
has saved the taxpayer more than
£2 million to date.
Diana Allpress has been
managing Project Claustrum
from the very beginning and has
seen frst-hand the benefts of the
project.
She said: “Evidence shows thathaving sustainable work on releasefrom prison signifcantly reduces
re-ofending and the aim is to givethese men the confdence andtechnical skills to secure gainful
employment and stay out of jail.
“Trough Claustrum, I’ve seen
for myself that a lot of people
end up in prison due to a lack of
education, family support or bymaking poor life choices.
“With the right support andtraining many of them can go on
to lead better lives and I’m proudthat Claustrum can play a part inthis rehabilitation.”

Evidence shows thathaving sustainable
work on release fromprison significantly
reduces re-offending
and the aim is to
give these men theconfidence andtechnical skills
to secure gainful
employment and stayout of jailDiana Allpress,
project manager

23

Te scheme is being run across
26 prisons in England and Wales
and work includes the preparation
and repair of toolkits, and therefurbishment of jacks thatwere previously deemed beyond
economic repair, saving the MOD
50 per cent compared to buying
new.
Prisoners taking part in the
programme also manufacture
camoufage nets, target boards,
wooden pallets, hessian andpolypropylene sandbags and arange of engineering products.

desider March 2020
News

Next generation Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)
capability delivered to British Army
Pictured: Part of the Cambridge Consultant Limited project team who worked alongside the Special Projects Counter Measures and Exploitation delivery team
(Picture by Suzanne Moss)W

orld-class hardware
which jams radio
frequency (RF) signals
to prevent remote-controlled
improvised explosive devices(RCIEDs) from being detonatedis in service with the Explosive
Ordnance Disposal and Search
Regiment within the British Army.
Developed by DE&S inpartnership with the Defence
Science and Technology
Laboratory (Dstl), REMIX
can be used alongside otherexisting jamming capabilities toprotect specialist EOD users inchallenging operating conditions.
Te initial research work was
followed by proof of concept
demonstrators using sofware
manipulation of commercial
hardware. Following the successof feld trials, the DE&S Special
Projects Counter Measures andExploitation (SPCME) delivery
team joined the project todevelop and advance the systemfor deployment within the user
community.
Te EOD teams needed thecapability to quickly identify
potential explosive threats anddetect chemical weapons to makesafe and informed decisions
upfront. Now in the feld, REMIX

is used on EOD operations, using
a special algorithm to prevent theinitiation of RCIEDs.
Te safety of the EOD operator
is paramount on these operations.
Te RCIED threat landscape isconstantly evolving and DE&S and
its partners worked together tocounter this threat.
EOD electronic countermeasure and survivability
requirements manager at DE&S,
Major Andrew Boyce RLC, said:“Designing REMIX called forsome intuitive thinking and boldengineering. Te fnished productwill have lasting benefts, notonly for us but the wider Defence
community.”
SPCME project manager
Matt Fowler added: “REMIX isa shining example of SPCME’s
commitment to collaboratingwith its stakeholder community todeliver innovative next-generation
capability to the front-line.”
Warrant ofcer class II (Yeomanof Signals Electronic Warfare)
Rebecca Taylor, said: “REMIX has
enabled us to think diferently
about the way in which we counter
RCIEDs as well as flling a training
gap. It is simple to use and fts
in seamlessly alongside otherelectronic counter measure (ECM)

Designing REMIX
called for some
intuitive thinking andbold engineering. The
finished product will
have lasting benefits,
not only for us but
the wider Defence
community
Major Andrew Boyce,
requirements manager

24

equipment, keeping the ECM
operator safe and allowing them toconcentrate on other tasks.”
She added: “Fitting theequipment is very user friendly,with only a few simple steps. If a
fault occurred and you required
further information on the system,
you are able to connect REMIX toa general user interface and follow
the relevant information easily.
Te equipment has been key inhelping EOD teams protect against
emerging threats within the radio
frequency spectrum.”desider March 2020
FeatureInnovation
across DE&S

Innovation has been high on the agenda at DE&S.
Desider's Louisa Keefe picks out some of her
favourite stories over the past year
£100 million boost for cutting-edge Protector
aircraf
In October 2019, DE&S awarded a £100 million
contract to test the performance of the UK’s groundbreaking Protector aircraf: the frst remotely
controlled aircraf capable of attacking targets
anywhere in the world while being operated fromtheir home base in RAF Waddington. Te report said
Protector will be the world’s frst certifed remotely
piloted air system (RPAS), meaning it can operate incivilian airspace. Tis is possible due to the aircraf’s
advanced Detect and Avoid system, which draws on
enhanced sensors to avoid other aircraf.

Cutting-edge suspension seats
reduce physical toll
An absorbing way to reduce
the physical toll experienced byboat crews was announced in
March 2019. Desider reported
that Commercially Supported
Shipping (CSS) discovered new
ways to upgrade hundreds of inservice boats, making them safer
for operators on the front-line bycreating state-of-the-art suspension
seats. Te boats team put theirexpertise to work, leveraging
knowledge of the market to seek
to buy and ft state-of-the-art
suspension seats for a range ofdiferent craf. Te team developed
an entirely new testing protocol,
attracting interest from several
partner nations, including Canadaand Holland.

Ration packs
Last month, Desider
reported that DE&S
negotiated a deal withcharity FareShare to
make use of thousands ofunused ration packs anddonate them to charity.
Te deal was agreed
between the headquarters
and commissioning andmanaging organisation
within the Logistic Delivery
Operating Centre withsupport from the front-line
commands and Defence
logistics. Te unused packs
are distributed to nearly
10,000 UK charities andinclude items for breakfast,
lunch and dinner such as
porridge, sausages, bakedbeans, pasta and rice.

Apache feetsupport deal
In February lastyear we welcomed thenews that DE&S hadsigned a £293 million
deal for the supportof 50 Apache attack
helicopters used by
the British Army. Te
new Apache model,
AH-64E, has improved
sensors and avionics,
in combination withgreater performancethat will enable theArmy to sustain
its battle-winningcapabilities.

26

desider March 2020
FeatureCutting-edge fast-jet trainer
opened at RAF Cranwell
March 2019 saw Desider
report on the opening of astate-of-the-art High-G fast-jet
trainer at RAF Cranwell. Te£44 million project, deliveredby DE&S, allows pilots toexperience up to 9G – ninetimes the gravitational pull of
the earth. Te cutting-edge
trainer is used in the Royal
Navy and Royal Air Force tosimulate fight in aircraf suchas the Typhoon, Hawk and F-35
Lightning II.

Hi-tech bomb disposal
February 2019 saw the frst
cutting-edge bomb disposal
production models delivered
to the British Army under
Project Starter. Te Harris
Corporation’s T7 unmanned
ground vehicle is equippedwith high-defnition cameras,
lightning fast datalinks, anadjustable manipulation arm
and tough all-terrain treads,
allowing them to neutralisea wide range of threats. Te
robots use ‘advanced haptic
feedback’, designed to provide
operators with human-likedexterity while they operate
the robot’s arm using the
remote-control handgrip.

Brilliant BriteCloudRAF Typhoon jets trialling of a state-of-the-art missile decoy
device called BriteCloud was showcased in June’s edition. Te
device uses extremely powerful radar emissions to disrupt thetargeting system within radar guided missiles, drawing themaway to a safe location. Sir Simon Bollom, DE&S CEO, said:“Te trials of BriteCloud on Typhoon demonstrate how we areconstantly striving to fnd a technological edge and protect ourservice personnel.”

DE&S secure £177m
military boat supportdeal
In October 2019,
Desider reported that
DE&S had signed a
new £177 million deal
to support thousandsof UK military boats,safeguarding more than
100 jobs. Te deal means
essential equipment will
be ready for use wherever
and whenever it is needed,
supporting the Continuous
at Sea Deterrent andQueen Elizabeth-classcarriers.
27

UK F-35 fghter jets frsttime on-board HMS Queen
Elizabeth
In November 2019,
Desider reported on UK
F-35 fghter jets landing,taking of and hovering
onboard HMS Queen
Elizabeth for the frst time.
Flown by Royal Navy andRoyal Air Force pilots, theLightning II jets embarked
on the 65,000-tonne carrier
to conduct operational trialsof the east coast of the USA.
Te F-35 Lightning II aircraf
operates with cutting-edge
design and is the frst jet
to combine radar evading
stealth technology withsupersonic speed, as well as
the ability to land vertically.

First two Ares
vehicles delivered
In March 2019, we
reported that the frst
two cutting-edge Ares
armoured vehicles –variants of the Ajax
family – had beendelivered to the British
Army. Te vehicles
will be the ‘eyes andears’ of the Army on
the battlefelds of the
future. Former Director
Land Equipment, Major
General Colin McClean,said: “It is an excitingtime for our soldiers,
who will now begin
training with this worldclass, next generation
capability”.

desider March 2020
DE&S People

CEO Commendations

Former DE&S winners recall what it was like to win and explain where they are now

In recognition of the maritime and air delivery teams'
role in introducing HMS Queen Elizabeth into service
and achieving success in first class flying trials

Why was your teamnominated for this award?
DE&S personnel working
in delivery teams in Ships
and Air were awarded a CEO
commendation for theircontribution to the QEC Aircraf
Carrier Programme. Te aircraf
carriers are the Royal Navy’s
largest ever ships and this was oneof the most complex engineering
programmes ever for Defence.
Te commendation marked theachievement of commissioning
HMS Queen Elizabeth into
service with the Royal Navy,
initial operating capability(landing platform helicopter) andfrst of class fying trials (FixedWing).
Te QEC programme has been
hailed as a great success. It was re-baselined in 2013 and has met
every milestone ever since. Te
QEC class assembly began in 2010
when the frst pre-fabricated block
arrived in the Rosyth shipyard.
HMS Queen Elizabeth set sail forcontractor sea trials in 2017 andwas formally handed over to theRoyal Navy later that year.

Tose working in the Lightning
team and maritime delivery teams
in ship acquisition and naval
ships support had to insert new
capabilities, integrate equipment
for fying trials and certify theship and aviation systems forhelicopters, littoral operationsand Lightning II. During this, theteam worked around the clock
and with immense dedication to
get this all achieved.

Tis is the highest accolade ateam can achieve within DE&S,
how did it feel?

What are your memories of
the awards ceremony?

We were thrilled to havereceived the award, which
recognises the dedication andprofessionalism of staf working
on the aircraf carrier programme.
Captain Steve McCarthy,
capital ships team leader inNaval Ships Support, said: “Tecomplexity of this project cannot
be underestimated. Te teams
across DE&S had an aggressive
and highly-ambitious scheduleof trials and training afer vessel
acceptance of HMS Queen
Elizabeth, and the execution ofthis was exemplary.”

Personnel from each of thedelivery teams were selected
to attend the award ceremony.
Steve Coates, QEC Transition
Group leader, said: “It was a greathonour to be selected to attend
the ceremony along with mycolleagues. I have worked on the
QEC carrier programme for three
years, supporting various aspectsof the build, support and trials.
Te awards ceremony enables you
to see the impact of what working
on such a programme has for the28

armed forces as a whole and how
we have contributed to that.”
What would you say to otherteams hoping to be awarded a
CEO Commendation?
To think creatively when it
comes to the CEO commendation.
Ours is an example of crossworking across DE&S, specialist
skills and professionals coming
together to deliver a complex anddemanding project.
Have the team/team members
built on their success?
Following the achievement of
the award, further success has
been achieved with the frst UK
F35 operational testing during the
USA deployment in the autumn
of 2019 and the frst carrier
qualifcation sorties for UK F35 in
UK territorial waters in February.

desider March 2020

Innovation fundedNews

DE&S scientists target exciting technology to deliver
savings and make missiles more effective
Pictured: Multi-axis shaker laboratory tests (Picture courtesy of MBDA)

A

group of scientists at DE&S
have been exploiting
the use of commercial
technology to improve safety,
deliver signifcant cost savings andenhance performance in the worldof missiles.
Firstly, members of the Defence
Ordnance Safety Group (DOSG)
team at Abbey Wood worked
alongside Defence Science andTechnology Laboratory (Dstl)scientists to develop a new way tomix energetic materials for use in
warheads and rocket propulsion.
Resonant Acoustic Mixing(RAM) was a technique originallydeveloped for big pharmaceuticaland cosmetics companies, but theteam realised there was an exciting
opportunity to be had.
Phil Cheese, of DOSG, said:“Te way we mix energetic
materials for use in warheads androcket propulsion hasn’t changed
a great deal in the last 200 years.
Imagine a great big cake mixer,
like you might see on Great British
Bake Of, and you wouldn’t be too
far from the truth.
“Dstl and DOSG are constantly
looking for ways to makeenergetics safer, cheaper and withgreater performance, and RAM
is really exciting technology,
allowing you to mix together
difcult ingredients, creatinga really smooth, well-mixed

small and medium enterprises,
large primes and academia tobuild a community known as
RAM Club where members
work collaboratively to create aworld-class, advanced energetics
capability in the UK.
Teir eforts have seen industry
invest in a new RAM facility
to start turning out new-andimproved products, helping tokeep the armed forces equippedwith battle-winning systems.
Elsewhere, it was acknowledgedthat strapping an air-launchedmissile to the wing of a jet toput it through its paces carries
risk and would be expensive. So
Dr Chris Roberts of DOSG set
about identifying a better way ofevaluating this in the laboratory.
Current laboratory tests can takea long time and can dictate how
quickly the design, manufactureand felding of a new missile cantake so Chris undertook a PhD to
explore how existing multi-axis
shakers could revolutionise how
testing is done.
Multi-axis shakers are widelyused in the automotive industry
to test how vibration afects thevehicle. F1 drivers are known
to use them in simulators toexperience any race track fromaround the world.
His research led to him
discovering how he could create

The world is changing
at an unprecedented
rate and the threat weface is evolving fast.
Discovering betterways to do things
is only part of thechallenge. We need
to be able to get theminto the hands of theuser faster than everbeforeNat Reglar, weapons
scientific adviser

energetic material for class-leading
performance.
“And that’s the key to why it isso exciting.”
Having identifed that
RAM might be a promisingtechnology, they worked with29

a vastly more accurate test to
represent air carriage vibration – a
discovery that could save morethan £200,000 for a typical test
sequence.
Chris’ research culminatedwith MBDA undertaking a
successful weapon science andtechnology Centre study on
accelerated qualifcation througha novel multi-axis test strategy,building a full-scale test rig thatwill be used during air carriage
performance demonstration andqualifcation of Brimstone 3. Te
research has also attracted interest
from the wider weapons scienceand technology community, andseen both MOD and MBDA host
visits from US and Australian
government ofcials interested in
implementing the technology.
Nat Reglar, weapons scientifc
adviser, said: “Te world ischanging at an unprecedented rate
and the threat we face is evolving
fast. To keep up with that change
requires DE&S to look at how it
works and continuously look for
improvements. Discovering betterways to do things is only part ofthe challenge. We need to be able
to get them into the hands of theuser faster than ever before.”desider March 2020
DE&S People

60 second spotlight"I was cast as an extra in a Bollywood film"

Jim Barlow
Job:

Project manager for the Army
Warfighting Experiment. It’s
the Army’s largest live-action
experiment. Following the
successful model of AWEs thatcame before it, 2020 is working
with more than 80 companies
to showcase some of the latest
technology currently being
produced.

Your route into DE&S?
I was looking for a change
from events and hospitality andtook a chance on the DE&S
apprenticeship scheme. It was
an interesting move as the
majority of entrants were 10
years younger than me. But,
I have to say, if I was half asswitched on at their age as mostof them are, I would be in a muchbetter position for it now. I luckedout and was placed into what
was, at the time, the Tech Office
and is now evolving into the
Future Capabilities Group.

Your claim to fame?
I spent 10 years working in someof the best cocktail bars andrestaurants Bristol has to offer,and in 2015, I was awarded
Bristol’s Best Cocktail Bartender.
It involved a series of peerjudged competitions. It was alla bit of fun, but I do miss being
behind the bar.

Your advice to anyone?
Get outside your comfort zone,
do things that scare you andpush yourself. Many of myfavourite memories were doing
things I didn’t know I’d be able
to complete when I started. You
discover you’re capable of much
more than you thought and, with
that, your self-belief grows.

What do you do when you’reaway from work?
I spend a lot of my free timetraining or recovering fromtraining-related injuries. This
year, when I’ve recovered frommy latest knee operation, I plan
to do a lot of bouldering. I also

like cooking great food andspend a good amount of time in
the kitchen.

What are you most proud of?
In my spare time, I spent the last
10 years building and growing
a grassroots festival with agroup of friends. It started as a
BBQ for a few of us. We grew itlittle by little each year and, by
2019, we hosted 1,500 people
and 300 artists over three days
and five stages. It never madeany money, but we also neversold out to make it work. It wasessentially a massive, three-day
garden party for friends andfriends of friends.

If you were sent to a desert
island, what three things
would you take with you?
It would all be pretty basic. I’m
assuming I’d want to survive so
I’d take a hammock, a cast ironfrying pan and a knife. I’d bealright with that.

What irritates you most?
People who talk really quietly.
After years of working in
hospitality, it’s embarrassing andfrustrating for everyone involved
asking someone to repeat
themselves multiple times.
Project people and be confident
in what you have to say.

Do you or
someone you
know deserve
their 60 seconds
in the spotlight?

What is your favourite placein the world?
I grew up in the middle of thecountryside and many of myfriends also lived out in the
sticks. So, I’d have to say aproper country pub. In winter,with an open fire, friends andfamily.

EmailLouisa.Keefe101@mod.gov.uk

What would surprise people
about you?
At 18, I was living and working in
Mumbai when I was cast as an
extra in a Bollywood film. After10 years, when I finally tracked
down a copy, I discovered it was
the Indian version of The Usual
Suspects. The original, I still
think, is one of the greatest films
ever made.

30
30

desider March 2020
DE&S People

Defence nominations, women's
rugby and a successful conference

Nominations for the Women in
Defence UK Awards 2020 have now
opened and staff are encouraged
to nominate colleagues who go theextra mile for DE&S.
The awards celebrate incredible
work, provide inspiration and promote
the value of women in the sector.
Since the launch in 2016, morethan 1,400 nominations have been
made – that’s more than 300 standout individuals and teams a year.
Last year, DE&S had staff
shortlisted in four categories.
Ross Hill (Joint Enablers) andJan Riches (Warship Support) in
Unsung Heroines, head of Maritime
Combat Systems Jo Osburn in Most
Collaborative, Sue Temple, pictured
above, (QEC Warship Support) in
Outstanding Contribution and Emily
Newton (British Embassy Nuclear& Strategic Deterrent and Threat
Reduction) in Emerging Talent.
Angela Owen, founder of Womenin Defence UK, said: “The Womenin Defence UK Awards are an
opportunity each year to celebrate theincredible people who work to defend
our nation.
“I have the immense privilegeof reading all of the citations andcontinue to be amazed and humbled
by the achievements, dedication andcourage of our nominees.”
Nominations will close on Friday,
April 17, with winners and Womanof the Year announced at an awards
dinner and ceremony in November.
To nominate, or to learn more
about the Women in Defence
UK 2020 Awards, go to www.
womenindefenceuk.com/
awards-2020.

Two rugby-loving DE&S employees are setting
up the very first women’s rugby team at Abbey
Wood.
Jessica Case-Morris (pictured right) and Phoebe
Hall (left) both enjoy playing for Thornbury RFC andwanted to see if there was appetite at DE&S to forma team.
After establishing there was a demand ,the sporting
duo decided their plan to set up the trailblazing club
was a goer.
They train alongside the men, have specialist
coaches to help develop all aspects of their gameand are currently in the process of arranging
their first fixture.
Jessica said: “I was hooked on rugby from my firsttraining session. For me, it is a fun way to improve myfitness and there is a great social side to the sport.
It’s also been a great way to meet new people as welland there’s nothing quite like the bond of a rugby
team.”
Phoebe added: “As far as anyone currently involvedin the club is aware, there hasn’t been a women’s
rugby team at Abbey Wood before, so why not get
involved in a pretty ground-breaking club?”Anyone interested should email either Jessica or
Phoebe.

DE&S Infrastructure
have held the 4th Heads
of Establishment (HoE)
conference at DM Kineton.
The conference is held
biannually and affords HoEs
the opportunity to hear froma diverse range of speakers
across the infrastructuredomain, including Defence
Infrastructure Organisation (DIO)
and Defence Fire and Rescue.
The conference supports
HoEs and enables them to
network, share best practiceand continue to articulate thechallenges faced at site level
through improving governance
32

processes and working with
the DIO as they move throughtheir own organisationaltransformation.
Delegates appreciated thetime and encouragement given
by senior figures within the DIO
in particular and the honestyof the current position with allparties keen to build on thepositive work over the last
six months.
The DE&S Infrastructure
team would like to pass on their
thanks to colleagues at DM
Kineton for supporting the teamand for hosting the conference.

desider March 2020
DE&S People

LGBT history month
MOTTO
and DE&S apprentices£10,000

Michael Stanley, Middle Wallop£1,000Louise Holliday, York

£2,500

The annual LGBT History
Month was marked across the
UK and other countries; giving an
opportunity to raise awarenessand educate around prejudice
and discrimination against theLGBT community. The DE&S Pride
Network held an event at MOD
Abbey Wood with the aim to develop
an understanding of the issues
facing LGBT in the workplace sothat individuals are better placed tochallenge inappropriate behaviour andattitudes, should they arise. The event
celebrated the progress made so far,and, through role play looked at reallife work situations, identifying what
we can all do to make a reasonable
challenge. Pride Network Chair Mark
Cartwright said: “Events like this help
develop an understanding of theissues facing some LGBT people
in the workplace and help build
knowledge and confidence to support
colleagues facing harassment or
discrimination. This is only one of many
events that the network will be running
this year to help raise awareness of theimportance of LGBT acceptance andinclusion.”

the MOD
Lottery
Octoberwinners

£500
£250
£100

Helen Webb, Helston

Marc Kenyon, Porton Down
Denise Jones, Tidworth

Robin Jennings, Shrivenham
Barry Gibb, Bristol
Tim Gibb, Helston

Philip Betson, Bristol

Georgie Seddon, Bulford

Jo Mckeegan-Brown, Lyneham
Nigel Rummey, Andover
Ben Wynne, Bovington

Gail Macdonald, Bristol
Colin Clarke, Gosport

Alison Dodd, Portsmouth
Ian Hills, London

Matthew Garnett, Bristol
Dawn Graham, Bristol

Robert Sutherland, Plymouth
James Bellingham, Feltham
Adam Snow, Bristol

Rachael Thomas, Lincoln
Elizabeth Peck, Henlow

George Coleman, Yeovilton

Members of DE&S staff in
Gosport attended a special
celebratory reception at theHouses of Parliament after theapprenticeship scheme at the
Defence Munitions (DM) base
was announced as a finalist in aprestigious competition.
The Further Education Week and
AELP AAC Apprenticeship Awards
are a celebration of excellence inapprenticeship delivery in the UK andprovide an opportunity to give therecognition employers and providers
deserve.
Apprentice training officer MelanieAnne Sandford, head of establishment
Gary Tuff and apprentice training
administrator Christine Colthart
travelled to London after DM Gosport
was announced as a finalist in the
category for Apprentice Employer of
the Year alongside Amazon, Bentley
Motors, Coca-Cola European Partnersand Hays Travel.

The Apprentice Employer of theYear award recognises outstanding
commitment to apprentices andapprenticeships within an organisation.
Melanie said: “I could not be prouder
of our apprenticeship; small in size but
massive on success, opportunity anddetermination. There were more than
350 entries and to be nominated as a
finalist is just outstanding.”
The winners will be announced at
the Apprenticeship Conference Gala in
Birmingham this month.

33

desider March 2020

Case
Study
DE&S People

diverse portfolio of novel technology contracts circa£350 million.

What are the opportunities to develop andprogress within your function?
I joined as a commercial graduate in 2006 and haveenjoyed a diverse and challenging career. I haveworked on many interesting projects from aircraf
carriers to cutting-edge space-based technology innumerous locations, from RNAS Yeovilton to the
Falkland Islands. I see the commercial function as
being front and centre of innovation, acquisitiontransformation and the need to exploit novel
technology has helped me to create an environment
to do things diferently. FCG Commercial are piloting
new commercial models which can hopefully be used
across the wider DE&S in the future.

Gemma Smith, Future CapabilityGroup commercial department head
within DE&S, gives her insight intosome of the benefits of working forthe organisation

What do you most enjoy about your job?
Developing innovative end-to-end commercial
strategies from initial technology idea (e.g. Defence
and Science Technology Laboratory, Defence andSecurity Accelerator) through to DE&S capability
delivery to ensure the best chance of pulling throughnovel technology into service. Tere is a perceptionthat commercial policy and process can be blockers
to innovation. But, in fact, we hold the key to
exploiting it.

Name:
Gemma Smith

What’s your ambition?
For Defence customers to see FCG as the ‘go-to
team’ for cross-cutting acquisition advice and to help
build DE&S’ reputation as acquisition leaders in thedelivery and exploitation of novel technology.

Job title:
Future Capability Group (FCG) commercial
department head
How long have you worked for DE&S?
14 years
Why did you choose to pursue a career in DE&S?
I joined DE&S because I wanted a job that matters.
Tere is no better job than ensuring our military havethe best technology to do their job. I love the challenge
of developing innovative commercial strategies thatcan exploit cutting-edge technology rapidly. I haveworked across MOD, but DE&S are critical to the actual
delivery of technology innovation into capability for thefront-line commands (FLCs).
What does your role entail?
I lead a commercial team delivering cutting-edge
technology projects in areas such as space, robotics andautonomy. In an acquisition world where technology
is developing quicker than we generate requirementsin the traditional way, we must fnd innovative
ways to exploit new technology being developed forcommercial markets. My team provide commercial
solutions to deliver pre-concept experimentation
projects across all FLCs, so users can understandnew technology and analyse the evidence in orderto make informed capability investment decisions.
We also provide acquisition advice across all FLCs
and innovation hubs to maximise opportunities fortechnology exploitation. We manage a complex and
34

What’s your greatest achievement to date?
Creating a new commercial model - Buy And
Try at Scale (BATS) - to buy and experiment withnew technology rapidly to develop the customer’s
requirement. Te pilot project delivered an‘experimentation buy’ of 30 unmanned aerial vehicle
systems within three weeks of the Secretary ofState’s Transformation Fund announcement. Once
we received approval we travelled to Norway andwithin 36 hours negotiated, drafed and signed the £2
million contract. We demonstrated it is possible to ‘dothings diferently’ if you take an innovative approach.
Why would you recommend DE&S to others as agreat place to work?
DE&S is full of opportunities to develop and feel like
you are making a diferent to front-line capability.
Te variety of projects and enabling roles combinedwith the transformational change across Defence andtechnology means there are always new and excitingroles to challenge you.
What are the social benefts of working for DE&S?
DE&S has been very supportive of my needs tobalance work and a young family, allowing me tochange my working patterns and use smart working.
Whilst I have a very busy and challenging role, thesupport DE&S gives me to manage my time enables
me to thoroughly enjoy my work.

Picture: Jack Eckersley

SIX GREAT REASONS TO WORK FOR DE&S

Bonuses &Recognition

PensionFlexible
Working

Professional
Development

Holiday

For more info and job opportunities visit:www.des.mod.uk

35

Facilities