Designed to forge closer ties and encourage innovation between Defence, industry partners and academic colleagues, the third in the LOGNET series of events was held recently in London.
With an aim of enabling better sustainment of the Armed Forces, LOGNET sought to retain a continuous dialogue between industry and defence by explaining the challenges, which defence is currently seeking to solve.
Major General Angus Fay CB, the Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Logistic Operations) opened the event with the strategic context for Defence Logistics: “Coming out of the campaigning era, logistics needed to be made fit for purpose and we have achieved that. But Defence is still transforming and we have big challenges. Currently we are supporting 32 named operations in five continents, enabling over 20 training teams, deploying a force out to Ex SAIF SAREEA in Oman later this year, and at the same time maintaining a physical Royal Navy presence in the Pacific.
“From this, the question I’ve been asked is how do we make ourselves more deployable and how do we make ourselves more lethal at the far end? The answer is readiness and being materially ready. And this idea of being prepared and responsive to deploy to continental Europe, the Middle East and to the Pacific remains a major challenge for us. Trying to address these issues is why we need to continue to modernise Defence logistics.”
The General’s introduction was followed by presentations from the j-Hub on how they are attempting to achieve faster procurement; an overview of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) Sustainment Procurement Agency; and the benefits it can provide to civilian companies, and briefs from the Concept and Force Development team on potential areas of technology to conduct research and development.
The remainder of the conference focussed on two key technologies that Defence Logistic intends on advancing; additive manufacture and logistic information systems.
The outcomes of LOGNET 18-1 will be included in a report to be distributed and fed into a follow-up event later in the year.
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