IBM to deliver DEEAMS

Image courtesy DE&S

The new platform will use artificial intelligence (AI) to help ensure Armed Forces have the right equipment in the right place at the right time, delivering on the ambitions of the Strategic Defence Review.

The £320 million contract with IBM UK for the Defence Equipment Engineering Asset Management Systems (DEEAMS) will create 100 new highly-skilled jobs in the UK, making defence an engine for growth and delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change.

The new system will replace 17 fragmented, siloed and outdated applications with one enabled modern streamlined platform, using AI to bring over £1 billion in benefits such as savings on support and IT costs. It will provide personnel with real-time information to predict maintenance and repairs, stock availability and engineering planning across major equipment and platforms.

It will also enable the adoption of future productivity-enhancing technologies, making sure the UK’s Armed Forces stay at forefront of defence innovation and capability.

Minister for Defence Readiness and Industry, Luke Pollard MP, said: “This is a major step forward in our commitment to ensuring our military has the very best equipment support available.

“We are revolutionising how we provide our front-line personnel with the kit they need, when they need it, whether they’re operating at home or deployed overseas.

“We are delivering on the Government’s Plan for Change with this £320 million investment, creating 100 new skilled jobs here in the UK and driving defence as an engine for growth.”

This government is delivering the biggest transformation of UK defence in a generation to reshape how the military protects Britain against unprecedented global threats. This is backed with the largest sustained increase to defence spending since the Cold War, rising to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, with an ambition for hitting 3% in the next Parliament.

Serving over 65,000 users across more than 130 major military platforms and assets, the system will improve the quality and speed of military decision making, boost operational effectiveness and support the resilience of digital networks.

Andy Start, UK National Armaments Director, said: “This investment is about more than just technology – it’s about operational effectiveness. The system will increase combat platform availability, reduce operational risk and improve decision-making speed. That translates directly into better support for our personnel and enhanced capability for our Armed Forces.

“As we deliver on the Strategic Defence Review, this contract demonstrates our determination to embrace digital transformation and ensure the UK Armed Forces remain at the cutting edge of military capability.”

John Farrow, Director of Logistics Services and Commodities at Defence Equipment & Support, said: “This transformational new platform demonstrates how defence and industry will work hand-in-hand to revolutionise our equipment management capabilities, ensuring our Armed Forces have the right equipment in the right place at the right time.

“Through this partnership with IBM UK, we are not only strengthening our military readiness but also creating highly-skilled jobs whilst delivering over £1 billion in operational benefits to support our frontline personnel.”

Rahul Kalia, Managing Partner, IBM Consulting UKI, said: “IBM is proud to support the Ministry of Defence to deliver the transformational DEEAMS programme to enable a next generation, full-lifecycle asset management solution for the UK Armed Forces. Working with our ecosystem partners, we will deliver this mission-critical platform with predictive intelligence and real-time data driven insights to improve planning and support strategic decision making.”

This investment follows the launch of the Defence Industrial Strategy and demonstrates defence’s commitment to supporting UK economic growth and maintaining Britain’s position at the forefront of technology innovation.

The project builds on the Strategic Defence Review’s recommendations for the UK Armed Forces to rapidly modernise and embrace the latest technology. Digital integration, data and digital systems are fundamental underpinnings of all modern military capabilities, making them more capable, resilient, and effective.

This contract represents defence’s ongoing commitment to digital transformation, ensuring our Armed Forces have warfighting capabilities with cutting-edge systems and innovative technologies that provide modern information systems and processes, streamlining support and enhancing operational effectiveness home and overseas.