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UK Defence Secretary John Healey has officially launched the largest reform of the British defence procurement in 50 years, with a new National Armaments Director to “tackle waste and boost industry”.
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The launch of the reforms comes following the Public Accounts Committee’s findings describing the British defence procurement system as “broken”.
UK Defence Secretary John Healey said: “The world is more dangerous, with growing Russian aggression, conflict in the Middle East and increasing global threats.”
This reform is part of broader reforms currently being led by the Defence Secretary to create a stronger defence centre that is able to secure better value for money, better outcomes for the British Armed Forces, and better implement the Strategic Defence Review, which will be published in the first half of next year.
At the core of this push is the creation of a new National Armaments Director (NAD) to build up the British defence industry and to crack down on waste and ensure that the British Armed Forces are equipped and prepared to defend the United Kingdom.
Healey said: “These vital reforms will make UK military decision making faster, keep the country safer and achieve best value for taxpayers. This government will strengthen UK Defence to respond to increasing threats.”
The recruitment process for the role has now begun, with a search for candidates now underway and which will continue over the coming weeks.
As part of the role, the new National Armaments Director will be responsible for:
- Delivering the capabilities required from industry to execute the Defence plans and operations demanded by the new era.
- Shaping and delivering the Defence industrial strategy, which will be launched in the coming weeks.
- Ensuring a resilient supply chain and the required readiness of the national “arsenal”.
- Leading on UK defence exports and acquisition reform.
- Harmonising procurement and working closely with wider government, industry, academia, and international partners to deploy best practice and investment.
The changes come as the Defence Secretary commits to ensuring “value for money across every penny of defence spend”.
Defence Equipment and Support CEO and the UK’s current NAD, Andy Start, said: “This fully fledged NAD role is a vitally important step towards transforming defence acquisition and the industrial base in the UK.
“This new role will have the levers needed to ensure our Armed Forces have the right kit and to deliver the defence industrial strategy we need for growth.”
The reforms will also see the chief of the Defence staff overseeing a new Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ) where he will formally command the individual service chiefs for the first time, much like the Australian process, these priorities will now be central to investment decisions between the services, along with the Defence secretary and permanent secretary.
The program of reform will be informed by lessons from the department’s highly praised support to Ukraine. The National Audit Office recently highlighted the speed and scale of the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Operation Interflex training program for Ukrainian recruits, as well as fast-tracked the procurement and distribution of essential gifted equipment to the Ukrainian front line.
These reforms will radically simplify the MOD; in addition to this, governance and processes will be streamlined, with innovation in technology and an improved approach to data underpinning everything the department does.
