During my nearly 40 years working in the defence sector – including a total of 25 years spent in the Armed Forces, predominately in the Royal Air Force (RAF), and a further 15 years in industry with SMEs and then large transnational companies – I have witnessed some excellent joint work across the military and industrial ecosystem. This is particularly evident in spiral development programmes.
Through the many people I have worked with on both sides of the UK’s defence landscape, I know that the military and industry can work effectively as a team. We already have the shared intent and ambition.
Creating deterrence
Whilst we work well together, we meet when commercial conditions allow, which is often transactional and fleeting. However, addressing the threats we all face now needs a much tighter geared and well-oiled military/industrial machine.
This ‘through-life capability partnership’ approach has to be forged in human interaction; it is people, not just technology, that give us the competitive edge. We should therefore look to integrate and develop our people as one fighting force to provide true resilience and a sustainable capability, ultimately strengthening deterrence.
Integration through people
The true innovation of the Whole Force ethos will only be unleashed by shared understanding and teamwork. This understanding – what we called “situational awareness” in the military – allows people to innovate in many areas. I believe there are many opportunities to boost agility, flexibility and resilience across all the Defence Lines of Development (DLoDs).
In the Royal Air Force, we talked about “air land integration” to enhance manoeuvre warfare across the domains (where a force’s movement, initiative and surprise achieve a position of advantage).
I see using industry as akin to this, generating a military-industrial integration, and maybe treating industry as a force element in its own right. Just like a military service, the defence industry – what NATO is starting to call “the sixth domain” – could be held at the appropriate readiness, aligned to defence planning assumptions and treated as part of the Whole Force.
Today, I am encouraged that a spirit for this exists; I see it with our apprentice and graduate programmes where the cohorts are immensely proud of supporting UK armed forces. I also see it from a more experienced angle, with employees fulfilling numerous roles alongside their military colleagues: Contractors on Deployed Operations (CONDO), Field Service Representatives supporting the front line and secondees in key posts within DE&S and HQ.
Creating an understanding
A further opportunity for such integration comes from those transitioning from the armed forces into industry following their military career. These key people not only benefit from gaining new understanding of industrial sector processes (often very different to those they have previously experienced), but through mechanisms such as organisational network groups and cross-sector mentoring programmes can bring their military expertise and insight to new colleagues. An area that needs to be further explored is the use of so called ‘zig zag’ careers; I could see people combining service in the military with industrial time and transitioning in and out throughout their career. A greater use of reserves is also possible.
Understanding is about the knowledge of the assets across the military/industry ecosystem and how to employ them effectively and efficiently. In some ways, it is like how a football team operates and the players are aware of each other’s skills and positions; closer to home in the RAF, how a Composite Air Operations (COMAO) formation leader manages a large mission employing the various aircraft to achieve the mission aim.
Just as a footballer or young aviator learns their trade from practising early in their careers, so too we could instil this approach across the military and industrial relationship; early exposure and joint working leading to deep understanding and respect at the senior executive level. Trust removes uncertainty and therefore cost.
How do we achieve this vision?
Recently, there has been much talk about stockpiling munitions and “getting ready” militarily. However, we cannot treat all capabilities as we do munitions and materials. We cannot stockpile people!
Before we exploit the true potential of the Whole Force, we will need to design career paths, explore different acquisition models and build enduring partnerships. Importantly, as our greatest asset, we will need to focus on motivating, developing and retaining our people and SQEP (Suitably Qualified and Experienced People) in the sector.
Just as in manufacturing we talk about “always on”, a similar principal of “always ready” must be applied to SQEP, and that requires an enduring relationship between the Military and Industry.