Recommendation 19

The Department has set the five-year target for programme length to stop the armed forces over-specifying their requirements.34 It said that the troubled Ajax programme, for example, had been tremendously over-specified.35 The Department anticipates it can achieve this target by involving industry in the procurement process much earlier.36 Instead of the armed forces developing a firm requirement then going to industry with it, the Department will state what the military capability problem is, and the NAD Group will seek solutions from industry.37 The Department expects this approach will also help to increase defence exports, as industry will be able to design products that work for an international market that is expanding as spending across NATO nations, especially in Europe, increases dramatically.38