A couple of recent FOI requests have highlighted the Category A and B projects the MoD is currently working on.
These are divided into categories;
| Category | Procurement Cost | Approving Authority |
| A | Above £400M | DE&S Investment Board, IAB, MOD Ministers and HMT |
| B | £100M to £400M | DE&S Investment Board, IAB Delegated Approving Authorities |
| C | £20 to £100M | DE&S Chief Of Staff, IAB Delegated Approving Authorities or TLBs |
| D | Under £20M | Relevant DE&S DG or IPT Leader |
The Category A and B list is;
| A | Aircraft Transformation Tornado Availability Contract-B |
| A | C Vehicle Programme – In Service Support |
| A | Challenger Life Extension |
| A | Future Integrated Soldier Technology |
| A | Future Joint Combat Aircraft |
| A | HAWK T2 |
| A | Joint Combat Aircraft – Production Sustainment and Follow On Development (PSFD) phase of the Joint Strike Fighter programme |
| A | Joint Combat Aircraft Sustainment |
| A | Non Articulated Vehicle Programme |
| A | Project PYRAMID |
| A | RB199 Spares Inclusive Availability Contract |
| A | Scavenger |
| A | Scout Specialist Vehicle |
| A | Scout Specialist Vehicle – New Equipment Support |
| A | Stormshadow Integration on Typhoon |
| A | Support Vehicle |
| A | Support Vehicle Recovery – In Service Support |
| A | Tri Service Mechanical Handling Service |
| A | Typhoon |
| A | Typhoon Active Electronically Scanned Array Extended Assessment Phase |
| A | Typhoon Aircraft In Service Support |
| A | Typhoon Future Capability Programme 1 (FCP1) |
| A | Typhoon Meteor Integration Project |
| A | United Kingdom Military Flight Training Systems – Advanced Jet Trainer Infrastructure and Ground Based Training Environment |
| A | United Kingdom Military Flight Training Systems – Rotary Wing |
| A | United Kingdom Military Flight Training Systems – Training Service Partner |
| A | United Kingdom Military Flight Training Systems FIXED WING |
| A | Utility Vehicles |
| A | Warrior Capability Sustainment Programme |
| A | WATCHKEEPER |
| A | WATCHKEEPER Support |
| B | Bridges and bridging equipment – BR90 Capability Sustainment Programme |
| B | Brimstone Integration onto Typhoon |
| B | Capability Upgrade Strategy (Pilot) (CUS(P)) |
| B | Eurofighter Active Electronically Scanned Array Radar 1+ |
| B | Expeditionary Domestic Accommodation – New Equipment Support |
| B | Field Electrical Power Supply – In Service Support |
| B | Future All Terrain Vehicle |
| B | Future Integrated Soldier Technology – In Service Support |
| B | Future Protected Battlefield Ambulance |
| B | HAWK T1 |
| B | REAPER 15-19 Extension |
| B | Terrier Armoured Engineer Tractor – In Service Support |
| B | United Kingdom Military Flight Training Systems – Rear Crew Stage 2 |
Is Stormshadow integration onto Typhoon really a Category A project, i.e. above £400m?
Utility Vehicles above £400M, it’s very interesting :)
It’s an odd list; no naval projects at all? QEC? T26? MARS?
“Expeditionary Domestic Accommodation – New Equipment Support”
New TD ISO based container porn ? ;-)
Which PQs are the source of that list?
And Astute and Successor.
What’s Project Pyramid?
PYRAMID: A CONCEPT TO REALISE SYSTEMATIC SOFTWARE RE-USE IN MILITARY AIR SYSTEMS
PYRAMID is part of the UK MoD’s strategy to develop and use open systems for future air systems in accordance with the defence white paper; “National Security Through Technology”
It will develop a common, scalable, flight certifable software architecture that will form the foundation for all MOD future advanced mission systems
Also regards the cost of the Storm Shadow integration it could be that expensive if it includes missiles, I am guessing they will need more if they have more aircraft capable of firing them.
Like GVA for stuff with wings and shit :)
most missile integration projects seem to run at the £500 million mark these days. Was the contract for integration of FASGW on Lynx not something similar. That’s why we spend £36 billion a year and get not a lot to show for it.
Or like the Shared Data Infrastructure for the RN’s ships.
Having previously worked in DE&S, I can tell you that the categories are not strictly based on numerical values. If they are deemed important (e.g. collaborative with other international partners, politically sensitive, etc), then they can be bumped up. This could be a reason for the Typhoon integration project mentioned above being in Cat A.
Stormshadow [sic] Integration on Typhoon.
Just spitballing (I’m bored):
– Change to Storm Shadow ER (increase to 300nm range) included?
– Covering the cost of the necessary Conformal Fuel Tanks?
– Also covering the cost of the Aerodynamic Modification Kit?
– Retention of the rudimentary Nuclear capability?
– Restoring a runway attack option?
Though in seriousness it would be a sensible place for the CFT integration and AMK costs to sit with the inclusion of the Storm Shadow work as that is the payload that requires them.
All other Typhoon payloads, including using the normal external tanks simultaneously, are more of a “nice to have”. Not that AMK in particular in it’s own right isn’t useful!
The cost may include the typhoon p2e upgrade part of which allow storm shadow integration.
As the storm shadow deal was worth 170m euro as reported here http://archive.defensenews.com/article/20140716/SHOWSCOUT15/307160036/Deal-Integrate-Storm-Shadow-Missile-Typhoon-Ready-Signing
thanks alot.
Long time lurker, first time poster…
Given that the standard Storm Shadow is roughly the same length, diameter and weight as the Tomahawk whilst being more aerodynamic with a more modern engine and carries a similar size warhead aren’t the figures provided by the MoD regarding range just a little bit suspect. I know the range quoted by the MoD is for a particularly non-fuel efficient flight (lo-lo), stopping off at the shops etc… but the idea of Storm Shadow having a less that 900nm range given that that is what Tomahawk has seems a little unrealistic. I know the MoD are notoriously shy of publishing range figures for weapons (quite rightly so) but Storm Shadow’s range is either massively understated or someone really messed up…
The engine in the Stormshadow is a turbo jet, the Tomahawk uses a turbofan. It is substantially more efficient by around a factor of two, the choice of the turbo jet for Stormshadow seems to me to be routed in its origin as the Apache runway munition which didn’t need much range. Why the storm shadow doesn’t have a turbo fan engine is probably down to the range specification from the RAF not requiring it.
That said it’s a pretty dumb decision as the cost of the engine is probably in the region of 5% of the cost of the round.
I would agree that the storm shadow range is probably much further than the original minimum spec of 250km, note the RAF website now says 300nm+. They did actually disclose some of its capability back in a 2003 BBC documentary when they talked about firing one at a target in Baghdad while still in Kuwaiti airspace.