An agile defence ecosystem is essential to maximising our growing spend on security

May 28, 2024

Prepare for Government’s new approach to security – called Secure By Design – or risk missing out on Government contracts

Threats to our security are increasing in intensity, complexity and scale day by day, writes Andy Scott, managing director defence, UK, at Turner & Townsend. In the UK, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s commitment to raise national defence spending to reach 2.5 percent of GDP by 2030 comes in recognition of the need to bolster the armed forces’ capability for the long-term.

While on-the-ground conflicts remain very real in the Middle East and Ukraine, the range of security challenges is shifting rapidly – from cyber warfare to the use of drones at scale. This is changing the nature of defence, requiring technical expertise alongside the physical provisioning of equipment to teams on operations.

Andy Scott

At the same time last year’s Defence Command Paper from the UK Ministry of Defence sets out to embed a campaigning approach, where government agencies, partners and allies work in an integrated way to counter threats.

As a result, success relies on us focusing on the programmes that deliver this effect, making sure that they are agile and driven by clear outcomes. To do this we need to prioritise three interlinked areas: establishing a collaborative mindset, that is supported by digital tools, and which is underpinned by skills investment.

More effective defence collaboration

We need to think in terms of a cohesive defence ecosystem that is bigger and stronger than the individual organisations and suppliers that constitute it. These parties include government and its supply chain, but also the wider web of allies and public sector bodies that contribute to the UK’s security.

Within this complex network, we’re seeing supply and demand relationships of the past coming under strain. The need for flexibility to adapt to fast-paced changes in the threat matrix – whether that is in the context of the global reach of the AUKUS partnership, or the supply of personal equipment – it means that traditional relationship norms and contract models are increasingly not fit for purpose.

Important lessons can be taken from other sectors which have honed delivery models designed to manage a range of complex priorities over a long timeframe, most significantly in aviation, water and energy. These industries continue to work towards programme-level outcomes on the basis of a five-year regulatory period but are increasingly now looking at much longer horizons for their business planning that run across multiple decades.

The advantage of this approach is to maximise the strength of supply chain partnerships. Frameworks are established to provide visibility and a level of commitment to partners, together with incentivisation models that encourage innovation and outperformance. The fundamentals of the defence ecosystem – with a secure programme pipeline, an established supply chain and clarity of purpose – provide a strong foundation to accelerate similar models.

Digitalisation to drive performance

The improved visibility and insight we gain through digitalisation can accelerate the collaboration drive.

Sophisticated digital programme platforms are coming to the fore in industries that manage complex asset bases. They allow us to collate and interrogate data, unlocking opportunities to drive performance and pace.

Importantly, this type of platform can be designed to interface with existing client software – dovetailing with the complex array of systems and programmes that exist within the web of partnerships that we’ve already discussed.

A comparable example is London Heathrow Airport, where programme level cost, schedule and risk data have been interfaced with client systems to improve reporting and reduce operational expenditure. Adopting this approach across the defence ecosystem can be a game-changer in delivering the visibility, accountability and confidence needed to accelerate outcomes.

Agile skills for agile programmes

The third component in our agile defence ecosystem is skills, making sure we have the technological and behavioural capabilities in place for a secure future.

The overall trend is towards specialism. There is a clear need to accelerate our sector’s intake of digitally-minded teams to maximise the investment being made in the new tools that we’ve already outlined. Complex technical skills in areas such as nuclear systems are also critical; the Nuclear Skills Strategy Group estimates that 135,000 qualified and experienced nuclear personnel are needed across the civil and defence industries by 2030.

To attract this talent, we need to reflect on the image of the industry and make sure we are signposting career pathways within these and other critical areas. Demonstrating that the industry is increasingly inclusive, diverse and open to new ways of working will support this drive too.

Looking to other sectors with similar challenges can help us identify the solutions we need in defence. While the threats we face may be increasingly numerous and diverse, by thinking programmatically we can maximise government investment and ensure our future security.

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