Managing Customer Requirements on Multiple Platforms
14 Jul 20
Technical and Strategic Services OBU
Inzpire's technical and strategic services team provide complex services day in, day out to a wide array of customers and platforms.
One such service is the provision of Requirements Managers, which we provide to a number of aircraft types.
Lightning II
The Inzpire Lightning II requirements manager team are a fully integrated part of the Air Capability organisation and with the diverse backgrounds of the current four members, they are well placed to provide advice, support and continuity across the whole Air Cap Attack Delivery ‘swim-lane’. Between them they offer significant and broad experience including subject matter expertise in reprogramming, test and assurance, capability integration, engineering, IT and Lightning operations. This diversity is a true strength in supporting the MOD and ultimately helping to deliver Lightning capability for Defence.
As the initial delivery of Lightning aircraft draws to a close and the Lightning Programme pivots into a continuous upgrade cycle, the Inzpire Requirements Manager’s experience, continuity and support are likely to be needed more than ever. Looking to the future while maintaining a view of what’s gone before are going to be key in realising the incredible potential of the Lightning Air System.
Inzpire's Lightning Requirements Managers are fully integrated in to Air Capability
Typhoon
The Typhoon aircraft is built by a four-nation European partnership, and whilst the industries and air forces of Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom work extremely closely to develop and improve the capabilities of the aircraft, it is inevitable that the nations’ requirements diverge sometimes. CENTURION was a Royal Air Force project to integrate advanced weapons onto the aircraft to improve the aircraft’s multi-role capability sooner than was planned in the Eurofighter schedule. The requirements manager’s role in such a project is to use their expertise, gained through years of operational flying, to ensure that the Royal Air Force gains the capability it needs and pilots are able to exploit it most effectively. The main challenge of CENTURION was an ambitious timeline that could not be breached; the RAFs Tornado Force stood down on 31 March 2019 and the Typhoon Force had to be trained and ready to take on the mantel of full operational capability by the time this occurred. That the project was successful was a reflection on the huge efforts and levels of cooperation across the Ministry of Defence and both UK and overseas industries; it was tremendously satisfying to be part of the requirements management team of RAF officers and Inzpire specialists that delivered this success.
It is equally important to ensure that what is delivered fits with the long-term development plan for the aircraft. We must maintain close relationships with the companies and government agencies of the four nations in order to guarantee that Typhoon’s capabilities continue to evolve and ensure it continues to be Europe’s most potent multi-role fighter.
Inzpire's Typhoon Requirements Managers use their expertise to ensure that RAF pilots make full use of the aircraft's capability
Meteor Capability Manager
The Inzpire meteor capability manager is a brand new role within the MBDA Missile Systems Meteor team and will be an integral position in the sustained delivery of weapon system capability assurance to the Typhoon Force and Defence as a whole. The creation of this role is another example of how Inzpire TSS expertise are both highly sought after and trusted to deliver for our Defence partners. Utilising extensive weapon technical expertise, aircraft integration knowledge and programme management skills, and looking across the spectrum of the defence lines of development, the capability manager will build on the already extant programme to support in the provision of Meteor’s world-beating air dominance. The vision of close collaboration between Defence and Industry stakeholders will ensure a coherent strategy that will secure the weapon system at the very forefront of military capability, both now and in the future.
Inzpire are working with MBDA to deliver weapon system capability assurance to the Defence industry
Complex Weapons Systems
The weapons area of the TSS OBU came into existence just over a year ago on the back of several short-term contracts related to complex weapons (CW). As with many of Inzpire’s business activities, it has started with a single person on a single contract with the aim of demonstrating the value we can add and going that extra mile beyond that which is contracted - the Inzpire USP. The work to date has had an Inzpire team member embedded within the CW area of the MOD working hand in hand with WECA (Weapons Evaluation Capability Assurance) and MBDA. We have assisted by providing insight in to how capability development and management could be optimised to support the Future Complex Weapons Portfolio model and provided operator-centric advice to ongoing CW programmes.
So, 16 months down the line, where are we? Well, we are getting towards the end of that first contract and we are hoping to continue our work in this area both with the MOD and MBDA. Future expansion to increase the number of team members and widen our offering to other businesses and countries is the goal that we are working towards. As ever in this business, nothing comes quickly or easily but as with our other successes we tend to get there in the end!
Inzpire's complex weapons team go above and beyond for their customers - the Inzpire way.
This blog has been written by Darren Kups (Lightning II requirements manager), Roger Smith (technical consultant), Paul Carrier (meteor capability manager) and Nick Bury (weapons systems technical consultant).
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Welcome to Inzpire, Howard
19.04.24
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It’s our pleasure to welcome Howard Leach (Leachy) who joins us as a tactical air command and control subject matter expert
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