WFM is a change programme that will enhance the operational readiness of the Defence vehicle and equipment fleets and their more efficient use.
It will encompass:
- The establishment of active and stored fleets of vehicles and equipment.
- Controlled Humidity Environment (CHE) for improved storage.
- Procurement of IS to provide global and near real-time visibilty of asset and engineering data (JAMES).
- Development of Training Pools within the active fleet to facilitate Collective Training requirements.
- Reduced Unit Holdings.
- Establishment of the Data Reporting Analysis and Corrective Action System (DRACAS) cell to support DE&S IPTs to identify trends in equipment failure and subsequently change and improve design.
This is an incremental change programme starting with the Army and subsequently including all defence equipment within scope. The Senior Responsible Officer, DG LS&E within Land Forces reports to the 4* Defence Change Group and has 2* representation from the FLC at the Programme Board. The IPT is responsible for forming the design and concept of the programme and aiding the FLC in implementation. The potential for greater industry involvement in the programme under an Industry Assessment Phase (IAP) was also examined and parked by IAB in Dec 2008.
BACKGROUND
WFM is a business change programme that will enhance the operational readiness of the Defence vehicle and equipment fleets and enable their more efficient use. There will be a reduction in the number of vehicles procured, going forward, which in turn will result in a smaller Total Fleet Requirement (TFR). As a result, the practice of issuing units with their full establishment of vehicles will cease. Instead units will hold a reduced fleet of vehicles (active fleet) sufficient for low level collective training. Their holdings will be augmented from training fleets (active fleets) for higher level training. Operational deployments will utilise vehicles from the operational pool (stored fleet) which will be held in a Controlled Humidity Environment (CHE) to avoid vehicle degradation. Without these changes MOD will not be able to meet future operational and training requirements.
CURRENT STATUS
INTERIM WFM (IWFM)
IWFM began in Sep 05 and is a single-service propriety phase being implemented across the Army (Regular and Reserve) that rationalises unit holdings and provides initial sites and conditions for the stored fleet. It is being enabled by the Joint Asset Management and Engineering Solutions (JAMES) MIS system which provides visibility of equipments at unit locations. JAMES rollout for the Army, Regular and Reserves, will be completed in November 2009. In addition, Controlled Humidity Environment (CHE) sites have been established at Ayrshire Barracks in Germany and DVD Ashchurch in the UK to begin housing the stored fleet and start providing the training pool of vehicles and equipment. Another training pool has been established at Warminster to augment units conducting collective training on Salisbury Plain. This establishment is providing direct support for Mission Rehearsals and Exercises and reached full operating capability in April 2009.
TRI-SERVICE WFM (3WFM)
Ministerial approval for the 3 WFM Main Gate Business Case was received on 14 Mar 08. The approval will see the rationalisation of unit holdings across the Navy and RAF. The Stored Fleet will be fully established to provide central training and operational pools of vehicles and equipment. The second phase of JAMES will be implemented to give a deployable capability thus providing real-time and global visibility of asset and the inclusion of engineering data. The roll out of JAMES 2 is scheduled to take place in Sep 10 which will coincide with the implementation of 3WFM.
INDUSTRIAL ASSESSMENT PHASE (IAP)
An Industry Assessment Phase (IAP) was run in parallel to I and 3 WFM conducted jointly by the IPT and Deloitte. The IAP commenced in February 2007 and started to identify the potential scope and merit of industry involvement in providing some of the facilities and services connected with the storage, maintenance and issue of vehicles and equipment. Regular Review Notes were passed to IAB for consideration and in December 2008 IAB confirmed the decision to park this work until a more opportune time.
DRACAS CELL
Confirmatory trials in BATUS on air filtration through work initiated by the DRACAS Cell has increased distance between failure of Warrior from 858km to 5100km with considerable cost savings in filters, engines and repair cost. More significant is the enhanced operational capability this engineering solution provides. The DRACAS Cell are progressing a further 23 projects in conjunction with DE&S IPTs and recently reviewed and reduced the servicing requirements for some UOR equipments.
MILESTONES
Jan 09 Formation of Land Training Fleet Warminster LTF(W)
Apr 09 Army draw down to UH and LTF(W) FOC
Nov 09 JAMES rollout complete to Army
Sep 10 Commence Tri Service rollout of JAMES 2
HQLF OP ENTIRETY
Under Land Forces Op ENTIRETY the expansion of WFM to improve the command and control of the Operation Training Equipment Pool (OTEP) is being addressed. The OTEP covers the UOR equipment procured to support ongoing operations. Improvements to the command and control will provide units and formations with a one stop mechanism to provide the capability and resources required to undertake pre deployment training and confirmatory exercises.