Multi Domain Integrated Systems

TP Group is the Customer Friend for the Defence Game Changer programme: Multi Domain Integrated Systems (MDIS) funded by Defence Innovation Unit (DIU) and delivered by Future Capabilities Group (FCG) within DE&S. MDIS is a 4-year capability investigation and acceleration programme mandated to change the way Defence fights or render a current way of fighting, threat, or process obsolete (“change fight”) and seek to deliver capability faster - primarily using bespoke procurement and commercial models and a streamlined approach to approvals (“change procure”).

Our team was asked to work with Front Line Commands (FLC) to support MDIS to address its core challenge: to assess whether Multi Domain Integrated Remote Autonomous Systems (MDI RAS) enabled by a common Reference Architecture can elicit Operational Advantage. This would involve identifying and addressing security, regulatory, and policy challenges by producing roadmaps to enable operationalisation of MDI RAS.

Further, our team were asked to help MDIS exploit early capability delivery opportunities where possible and work with Strategic Command to help develop the StratCom Defence Uncrewed Gateway (DUG), with the view to provide advice to FLCs , key stakeholders, and industry. The strategic intent is that all future requirements will pass through the DUG Gateway (managed by StratCom) and opportunities or considerations can be highlighted to the war fighter in making their informed choices.

Project ACHERON

Despite MDIS being a capability investigation, it requires proof of concept. Evidence and assumptions will be collected by TP Group through modelling, simulation and Table-Top Exercises . Our team are also planning and coordinating the physical Operational Concept Demonstrator: TP Group is leading a rainbow team of military, civil servants and a coalition of eight primary delivery partners.

Defence has effectively sub-contracted TP Group to establish a temporary military formation HQ to plan, execute and exploit the largest MDI RAS exercise ever held in the UK: a truly novel approach to culminating a capability investigation. This demonstrator will be developed and conducted through a number of pan-Defence experiments and trials that will look to integrate networks and systems across Defence through a reference environment.

TP Group will be attending and coordinating FLC RAS experiments, providing integration opportunities, disseminating lessons learned and instilling best practice to shape the Concept Demonstrator. It requires intimate knowledge of Defence working practices and policies, a pan- approach, targeted and comprehensive Stakeholder Management  and robust PMO  activities to deliver this key output. It also requires appreciation that interoperability with the UK’s allies is critical and TP Group are ensuring that there remains an important collaborative approach through both NATO and specific US exercises and experiments to achieve success. This experience of working shoulder to shoulder with experts within DE&S, DSTL, NATO and across industry will be invaluable in de-risking future network, AI and autonomy work across the sector.

Underpinning this is the PMO capability that manages the program's source of truth (DefenceShare) which is used for documentation control and access to programme information. Additionally, the PMO manages the program's internal assurance, holding to account activity, eco system, campaigns, boards/meetings, action tracker, RAIDDO , Master Question List (MQL), benefits, programme risk landscape, events management, capability tracking, capability requirement development, and programme plan.

If TP Group doesn’t possess the appropriate skillsets/expertise/knowledge/experience, we look to utilise/exploit our associates network in the first instance. As part of MDIS, we have expanded our associates network to bring onboard individuals that the customer has identified as having the unique skillsets to meet their requirements. We worked with our commercial team to do the validation work and setting up output-based contracts. Examples are:

• A graphics/imagery company to provide promotional videos, glossaries, and support delivery of events.
• An SME in Airworthiness' Regulations to help develop the regulatory roadmap for Defence with respects to autonomous systems.
• A Commercial expert to support the programme and address a current skills gap within DE&S and wider government.

The Customer Friend lead is an integral member of the program’s senior leadership team (SLT) providing direction and leadership to the programme team. One of the key successes has been the provision of independent and pragmatic challenge to the SRO and wider SLT members delivered in a sustainable, evidence based and balanced manner.

Outcome

As Customer Friend, TP Group have effectively used our specialist knowledge and technical skills at key stages of the programme to help the customer define their requirements and through the application of soft skills, and being emotionally intelligent, we have established trust-based relationships which has helped us quickly understand their needs, and in turn their wants.

Through our understanding of the scope and the wider political landscape and how it affects the programme, we have brought a fresh perspective and introduced a bespoke tasking process delivered in a pragmatic, constructive and appropriate way in ‘nailing down’ the specification of what needs doing, and what is needed to achieve the desired outcomes using our developed tasking process.