Source · Select Committees · Defence Committee
Recommendation 16
16
Paragraph: 61
We believe that commonality of platforms and modularity of capability such as sensors and weapon...
Conclusion
We believe that commonality of platforms and modularity of capability such as sensors and weapon systems will be an essential element in maintaining an effective and capable Army. The Department should ensure that future decisions around procuring new vehicles give greater weight to the undoubted benefits offered by both commonality of vehicle hulls and the modularity of equipment and weapons systems. 56 Obsolescent and outgunned: the British Army’s armoured vehicle capability It should be a matter of course that weapon systems and, for example, refrigeration units for vaccines, can be moved easily between platforms, even if produced by different manufacturers.
Paragraph Reference:
61
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
The Department fully supports the aspiration for commonality of platforms and modularity of capability where this is appropriate given the potential implications on cost and performance. This is something we have considered in commissioning sensors for AJAX that can be used across different platforms. The Land Equipment Platform Strategy will reduce the number of platform types in service with the Army and future procurement decisions will be linked to this strategy. The Army has already adopted LOSA. This is a systematic (i.e. system of systems approach) to reduce the burden of introducing new systems or sub-systems to our land capabilities. It is achieved by following a set of open, modular and scalable standards; from a vehicle perspective they are encapsulated in the Generic Vehicle Architecture. Generic Vehicle Architecture standardises the physical, electrical and data interfaces to make upgrades simpler to test, prove and integrate. Modularity will be achieved through: • Development of ‘Through Life Capability Management Plans’. • Ensuring sufficient size, weight and power in our future capabilities to enable ‘growth’ and ‘change’ through life; this could involve identification of capabilities that may need to be integrated in the future. This is called Installation Provision Made in Design (IPMD) – as an example, the BOXER team identified the potential future requirement to fit an Active Protection System (APS). • Ensuring the mission system architecture (also referred to as the electronic architecture) has been designed correctly from the outset (i.e. with growth and resilience in mind). This approach will reduce, but not remove, the challenge of modular upgrades and their integration. Work is ongoing to ensure that this approach is as compatible as it can be other Services and allies. Modularity and iterative upgrades are also key parts of the proposed Land Industrial Strategy.