Mission-ready modern support systems in Defence

Scaling resilience & adaptability in the new world: A unique perspective with Simon J Perks

Over the past decade, a massive shift in technology has seen the rise of (Gen)AI, blockchain, digital twins and our ever-growing dependency on the Cloud to name but a few. To this end, there has never been a more pressing need to modernise Support systems across the Defence enterprise.

It is now a fact of life that we live with constantly shifting, multi-faceted threats when it comes to supporting key Defence Support systems.

This is exacerbated by the fact that many governments and organisations are now finding that they are exposed to, and dependent on, legacy software that effectively handcuffs them (and the suppliers who ‘manage’ them) to creaking, outmoded systems that are frequently 10-15 years out of date.

By implementing Defence systems that have ‘disruptive’ technology (such as Gen AI, blockchain, digital twins etc) at their core, Defence will find safeguards and benefits ranging from attracting, retaining and fostering trusted talent and improved user experience at the front end, whilst at the back, life will be made far more tricky for hackers and hostile agents. Defence organisations will also be able to shore-up their ever-growing problem of data silos. Mission-ready, modern Support systems in Defence are a must-have to keep our nations safe and secure at home and abroad.

I sat with Simon Perks, Co-Founder of Squarcle, the Support performance and data science consultancy to hear his take on it all.

What threats are Defence agencies having to tool-up for when it comes to culture, organisation, and technology change in Support?

Simon: The challenges of changing logistics and engineering management in Defence are more onerous than those faced in the private sector and we are seeing this play out in Defence and security agencies around the world. The technology is well understood, it is the complex demands of Defence logistics and engineering that drive the difficulty and long timelines in Defence.

In my experience one area stands out as essential to securing successful implementation of technology change in Support - leadership.

Defence is full of strong leaders who have a high degree of influence over their organisations. In this environment it is especially important that leaders understand how change delivers benefits and can articulate it to their organisation. Without this leadership-by-example, great technological change withers on the vine.

Given the current war in Ukraine, are there any clear imperatives emerging for the Defence Support enterprise?

Simon: The war in Ukraine has (1) exposed things that weren’t working but were hidden – things like inventory levels and the dependence on non-sovereign, non-landed supply chains; (2) led to an evolution in thinking about how wars will be prosecuted which in turn leads to new Support requirements – Defence must work out things like the appropriate Support solution for a platform whose life is measured in days and whose product development cycle was measured in months; and (3) brought to light challenges that combine the two - like how do you deliver areas of Support that have been out-sourced when fighting at scale?

There is the necessity to compress 20 years’ change into two. The challenge for us is to deliver that.

What is the role of data in the modern transformations that Defence is attempting to harness – particularly within Enterprise Asset Management?

Simon: The importance of data can be judged by the number of metaphors it has spawned. Gold, oil, water, diamonds etc. The fact these are either descriptions of value or essential to life is telling.

Data quantity and quality profoundly affect all attempts to employ digital tools. The more sophisticated the nature of the data, the more state-of-the-art the instruments required to exploit it.

In many of the transformations we are seeing, the greatest challenge is weaving accountability for data quality into the organisation. Only when military leaders feel that data quality is a military problem, and data quality is a metric on their dashboards, will technology change stand a chance of becoming sustainable.

Ok, so the importance of data ownership inside the Defence Support function is clear. How does industry support Defence with what will be inevitable and significant integration challenges?

Simon: Industry can contribute by advocating and adhering to established standards. The development and application of international common standards is the bedrock for achieving integration.

Some Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) have in the past adopted a closed, proprietary approach, maintaining their own technological ecosystems within Defence, akin to isolated "walled gardens". Such siloed practices hinder integration.

To enable innovation industry must transition towards business models that enable them to make money while using common standards and open platform systems. Businesses need to reimagine their business models and focus on profitability that does not require exclusive platform access, or data ownership.

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) play a pivotal role in this transformation, pioneering tools that seamlessly interface with other platforms, showcasing the feasibility of integration. Using their unique perspective from the commercial sector and flexibility, SMEs bring valuable insights to the table.

For example, at Squarcle we pride ourselves on bringing disruptive thinking and fresh perspectives to the Defence industry, fueling innovation and addressing integration challenges head-on, supported by the scale and longer-term track record larger industry players can provide.

A final observation, the West has historically driven innovation and standards. It should not be assumed this will continue. New ways of working that operate and exploit technology that has not been developed in the West need to be established and applied nearer to home, to keep our leading edge on global adversaries.

Does that get even more complex when you are looking at something that must operate globally at permanent and temporary locations, disconnected environments and different security classifications?

Simon: It certainly does. The good news is that leading organisations have been investing for many years to solve these challenges. The key is to build on this work rather than to try to reinvent solutions. This is an area where Defence’s commitment to COTS solutions will be tested.

This is complex scaled transformation, not just technology but people, culture, and long-standing ways of working. Can you touch on the role that SMEs can play?

Simon: The primary things that SMEs bring are insight and innovation.

By definition large enterprises become generalist. SMEs bring highly focused boots-on-the-ground knowledge and experience that it isn’t profitable for large organisations to maintain.

The most detailed knowledge of how Defence works, which is an imperative to delivering business change, resides within the SME community.

Secondly, SMEs move far faster than large organisations and speed is a key to successful innovation. SMEs only survive if they can learn lessons quickly, change direction quickly and deliver products and services that are quickly valuable to clients. If they don’t, they cease to exist. Large organisations have greater funds available but take longer to deploy them in the first instance and then take longer to change direction in response to feedback.

You don’t want an SME enterprise running your transformation… equally you don’t want a large enterprise running it without one!

Lauren Campbell (Managing Director within Accenture Technology) & Simon Perks (Co-Founder and Director, Squarcle)

Read more on how Accenture and partners can support Defence across the supply chain at Accenture Defence

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