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“How do you see ABRO’s position on FRES and the WLIP Warrior Life
Improvement Programmes?”
“On FRES, Lord Drayson stressed that ABRO would be a key player in the
FRES scenario with contenders looking to partner in service and
support and potentially in the wider area of assembly. ABRO has a strategic
intent to be the long term provider of FRES Maintenance, Repair,
Overhaul and Upgrade for the British Army through life and can offer an
option, should the procurement strategy allow, for the location of Final
Assembly and Test for the vehicles on behalf of the FRES alliance. All
three vehicles were garaged in ABRO's workshops prior to the current
Trials. It is also supporting the IPT trials team with recovery assets and
specialist maintenance facilities. ABRO isn't bidding directly on
either the Vehicle Integrator or SOSI roles but is involved in several of
the emerging teams at both levels.”
“On WLIP, we see ABRO playing a key role in being able to fulfil the
whole requirement at our Donnington facility, working with the Design
Authority BAE Systems, as vehicles flow through from Iraq and Afghanistan.
ABRO has a unique capability as the UK’s only source for the
maintenance repair and upgrade of Warrior and our costs levels make us the
natural choice to install the new turret and systems.
“What numbers are being suggested for WLIP?”
“We understand that the numbers have come down slightly from just under
the 500 initially suggested for WLIP to 340-307. This would leave
vehicles available for other roles. We are working closely with all bidders
for WLIP, BAE Systems, Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics and Selex to
install their turret solutions on the Warrior chassis”
“What of the future?”
“We continue to be the major supplier of vehicle maintenance, repair
and reset to the MoD for the legacy fleet. Our Land Rover business is
particularly strong given the recent award of Project Tithonous. ABRO’s
involvement in Through Life Support and spares supply was seen as a key
element in the DIS, thus we were kept as a separate entity to fulfil
these requirements. We see our spares capability growing when Projects
such as the B Vehicle Support Programme matures. The MoD has been keen to
retain the expertise of the Telford operation during current operations
and we expect that to continue into the near future.” (See: ABRO HANDS
OVER PILOT ‘TITHONOUS’ VEHICLE AT DVD, By Julian Nettlefold, Editor,
BATTLESPACE TECHNOLOGIES C4ISTAR, Volume 11 Issue 4 September 2007).
“The MoD commitment to sustain essential levels of capability and
capacity in the retained DARA and ABRO businesses provides the new defence
support group with greater clarity and allows it to implement a
programme of continuous improvement. At the same time, the new organisation
will look to consolidate and build on ABRO’s and DARA’s existing defence
industry relationships and partnerships, by entering into agreements on
future equipment programmes. These will ensure MoD retains the
in-house know how required to maintain operational sovereignty in key areas
as set out in the Defence Industrial and Technology Strategies.” Archie
Hughes concluded.
BATTLESPACE Editor Julian Nettlefold visits Lockheed Martin INSYS
03 Dec 07. Lockheed Martin UK – INSYS has successfully tested its
design for the Warrior Fightability & Lethality Improvement Programme
(WFLIP) in a series of limited live firing trials at the Cranfield Ordnance
Test & Evaluation Centre on Salisbury Plain Training Area. The
successful completion of these tests marks a significant milestone in the
accelerated development and integration of a new turret and weapon system
onto the British Army’s Warrior infantry fighting vehicle.
Through rapid prototyping Lockheed Martin has taken its WFLIP turret
from an idea, through concept design, physical prototyping to live firing
in just 33 weeks.
"This successful live firing was a culmination of a fantastic effort
from all our partners on the Warrior FLIP Team," said Ron
Abbott, executive vice president, Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. “The
information gathered has shown us that this design gives crews more space,
commanders better situational awareness and gunners a wider choice of
ammunition making the Warrior more fightable. Our innovative design
means there is no need to alter the hull of the Warrior, reducing the
programme risk as the upgrade can be achieved while part of the Warrior
Base Overhaul process done by the UK Army Base Repair Organisation
(ABRO).”
Lockheed Martin has used its world class Systems Engineering and
Systems Integration expertise to integrate the ATK Bushmaster 30mm Mark 44
Cannon, onto a modified Warrior turret with a dual axis stabilised
BGTI sight from Thales Optronics Limited. Rhinemetall Defence has designed
the cannon, the mounting structure and the Ammunition Handling System.
Curtiss-Wright is responsible for the turret stabilisation.
“These live firing tests were absolutely crucial,” said Stephen Ball,
managing director of Lockheed Martin UK – INSYS. “Our experience in
systems integration and land equipment has helped us create a solution
which offers more for less and now we have proved our design works.”
Lockheed Martin has assembled a world class team of partner companies.
In addition to Lockheed Martin UK - INSYS, the team includes Lockheed
Martin Missiles & Fire Control, TOL, Rhinemetall Defence, ABRO,
Curtiss-Wright and ATK, the team also includes NP Aerospace, MOOG, Brimar, AB
Connectors and SciSys.
INSYS 50th Birthday
INSYS has historically been a Company which hides its light under a
bushel. Thus it was a privilege to be asked up to Ampthill to be briefed
on the Company’s progress in its 50 year history.
Hunting started the company in the 1950s as Hunting Perceval which led
to the creation of Hunting Engineering making parts including the Mk 41
bomb tail, still in production; the company moved to Ampthill in 1962,
and was sold to its management as INSYS in 2001 and then to Lockheed
Martin in 2005 where it resides with its own Board, Executive Steering
Committee and Accounts reporting to Ron Abbott’s Missiles & Fire Control
(MFC) organisation.
The company now employs in excess of 600 people involved in a variety
of high-tech defence work and has a turnover of £95m in the current
year.
Programmes
The Programmes which Lockheed Martin INSYS is involved with include:
FRES - where the company won the EATDP which is now concluded. Lockheed
Martin recently submitted a bid for the Vehicle Integrator role for
the Utility Vehicle. INSYS has a team of 27 people which initially
include a large number (90%) of MFC employees seconded form the USA which
WARRIOR – WLIP turret Programme – see above.
IBDS – Integrated Biological and Detection System – All systems have
now been delivered.
Apache Munitions – INSYS is the Certification and Procurement Authority
MLRS – INSYS is the MLRS Design Authority and has recently completed a
32m UOR on a number of launchers for Afghanistan, installing new armour
and the GMLRS fire control unit. GMLRS was recently praised by Sir
Kevin O’Donoghue for exceptional performance in theatre. (See: BATTLESPACE
UPDATE Vol.9 ISSUE 47, 27 Nov 2007, DEFENCE PROCUREMENT ISSUES WILL
IMPINGE ON TYPHOON TRANCHE 3, By Julian Nettlefold, Editor, BATTLESPACE)
LIMAWS(R) – Currently in the Assessment Phase, waiting funding.
LEAPP - Currently in the Assessment Phase, Main gate expected in 2008.
The company was awarded two UORs for LEAPP using a different
configuration and radio from the original Rockwell Collins software radio
proposed under the original requirement.
Missile Defense Agency – INSYS is producing Representative Targets.
Javelin – Depot Level Maintenance Centre has been established at
Swindon with partner Raytheon. One third of Javelin seekers are provided by
SELEX in Basildon.
Rapid Shelters are being constructed for a number of overseas
customers.
Targets
Stephen Ball, Managing Director of Lockheed Martin INSYS outlined the
targets for INSYS in the coming years.
“We are achieving healthy compound growth and ensuring that our
customers get what they want. We expect this growth to rise to double digits
once our current reorganisation and streamlining Programmes are
complete. We are achieving this by streamlining our Supply Chain and building
Partnerships. We recently expanded our U.S. footprint by winning a key
contract to supply Apache test equipment in our new £2m clean room
facility. This facility will establish INSYS as a Centre of Excellence for
other Apache work coming from customers outside the U.S.A. We see Rapid
Prototyping as a key capability for winning contracts with the MoD in
particular where 90% of our work comes from. We will link this with a
new £5m UK-based R&D Programme with Universities. The recent UOR
contracts has changed the manner of Procurements resulting in less Programmes
being bogged down, the MoD needs this capability now with no TAA issues
which cause delays. The next step will be to form a Systems Integration
capability using our parent company’s U.S. skills.”
Paul Bird, told us that INSYS expects to grow its Through Life
Capability business using a commercial model. INSYS has made 70% improvements
in this area and has achieved CMMI up to Level 3. 50% of INSYS turnover
flows through the Supply Chain and this is where 90% of the risk is.
The Company issued 3000 Purchase Orders to 700 SME’s this year
“We see a continuing shortage of engineers in the UK as many projects
such as Terminal 5, the Olympics and Defence projects are using an
increasing number of skilled engineers. We recently gave Cranfield
University a £5000 Grant to examine armouring techniques and we expect to grow
our involvement in Universities and continue to encourage schools and
universities to provide more interest and courses in engineering.”
Stephen Ball concluded.
STERIA CONFIRMS LSRC CONTRACT AWARD
01 Nov 07. Steria, a leading European end-to-end IT services provider,
has confirmed the selection by the MoD to run the Land Systems
Reference Centre (LSRC). The five-year contract, to begin in January 2008, will
see a team with Steria, as Prime Systems Integrator, carry out system
tests and technical evaluation for the Joint and Land environments.
These activities are scheduled for routine work and as a support activity
to pre-deployment of systems, as required, helping to reduce risks,
improve efficiencies and ultimately increase performance.
The LSRC provides an independent test and reference facility for the
acceptance and support of operational Communications and Information
Systems (CIS) before and while they are deployed operationally. The
contract, which is valued at approximately £17m, will see Steria, together
with a core team of suppliers, manage and support the LSRC and its
capability. Using ITIL-based service management, the Steria team will offer
fast response to change and scalability to manage the increasing
complexity of testing in an increasingly networked and joint operational
environment.
Phil Hutchinson CEng, the MoD CSIS Integrated Project Team’s Project
Manager for the LSRC, commented: “.the Steria Team offer an approach
which equips the LSRC to deal with the increasing demands for testing and
acceptance, as it uses internationally recognised best practice
methodologies to deliver a cost-effective programme. We are confident that with
the Steria Team we will have the ongoing means to support Network
Enabled Capability, and to deliver the best possible service to our armed
forces.”
The Steria Team brings together best-in-class SME organisations,
offering an innovative solution for the LSRC contract to meet the demands of
new projects scheduled to enter service over the next five years. As
Prime System Integrator, Steria will be responsible for coordinating the
team and managing delivery across the project. The members of the
Steria team are:
SCS Ltd (SCS): Responsible for providing specialist management
services and technical consultancy. SCS is a leading independent supplier of
technical services to private and public sector clients, primarily in
the defence and security sector.
Aspire: Responsible for delivering Integrated Logistics Support (ILS).
It is an independent company that provides specialist support
engineering, logistics and management skills, consultancy and training spanning
the full spectrum of Supportability and Support Engineering.
Drumgrange Limited: Responsible for providing specialist test facility
technical support. The Chertsey based systems engineering company has
an established track record in designing, manufacturing, integrating,
installing, and supporting reliable and cost effective electronic
equipment and systems for the MoD.
Johnson Controls: Responsible for delivering facilities management
support. It is the world’s largest provider of technical and facilities
management services, predominantly in highly technical business critical
areas.
The CSIS IPT sustains Command and Battlespace Management (CBM) and
Intelligence information solutions in support of current operations, and
the delivery of enhanced capability for the future.
The IPT manages a portfolio of 40 Command Support, Intelligence and
information solution programmes and projects on a through-life basis. Its
users include PJHQ, Fleet, HQ SOinC(A) and the Defence Intelligence
Services.
Chris Bates, Steria’s Defence Director, said “the Steria team will
bring a fresh independent approach to LSRC working collaboratively with
both the MoD and other suppliers. Keeping ahead of trends, evolving
standards and best practices is core to our business and helps us to
understand the drivers and challenges our clients face.”
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