MINISTRY OF DEFENCE
News Release (069/2007) issued by The Government News Network on 2
April 2007
Defence Minister
Lord Drayson today launched a new organisation, called Defence
Equipment and Support (DE&S), that will equip and support our
armed forces for operations.
This is the latest in a Defence Acquisition Change Programme
(DACP) reforms. These changes, which work in support of the
Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), are already improving the way
UK Forces are equipped, sustained and supported.
This reform will create one single organisation that is
responsible for equipment throughout its life, from design,
through delivery to disposal. By bringing these areas of
responsibility together in one organisation, the Armed
Forces' equipment will be better managed and with more
effective maintenance, technology upgrades and cost control.
DE&S will manage a budget of £16bn, comprising some 43% of
the defence budget and employ around 29,000 people across the UK
and abroad
Lord Drayson said:
"My primary concern is that we continue to provide our
Forces with the equipment they need to do the job asked of them.
The creation of this new organisation, combining the best of
military and public service cultures with a hard commercial edge,
shows our determination to continually improve the support we
deliver to the front line. Both MoD and Industry are making real
progress in improving acquisition performance but much remains to
be done."
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. Other key benefits of the creation of DE&S include:
the establishment of a unified approach to procurement of
equipment and through-life support;
providing a single point of contact with industry and MOD customers;
a reduction in the number of internal boundaries across the
acquisition system, complementing the recommended changes to the
planning process and customer organisation;
encouraging the defence industry to bring together project and
in-service support, thereby facilitating Through Life Capability
Management and reducing cost;
2. DE&S will be led by newly-appointed Chief of Defence
Materiel General Sir Kevin O'Donoghue