Director Ships

Director Ships (D Ships) is the part of Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) that is responsible for procurement, through-life support and eventual disposal of ships and equipment for the Royal Navy and other services involved in maritime operations. D Ships exists to support all aspects of maritime procurement and support. This ranges from major projects like the future aircraft carrier through to outboard motors used on rigid raiding craft and all of the spares and expertise to keep Royal Navy ships, craft and equipment operational.

Transformation of D Ships

With the formation of DE&S in April 2007, 17 Procurement and Logistics D Ships project teams transformed into a cluster of five through-life directorates (Capital Ships, Destroyers, Surface Combatants, Afloat Support and Fleet Wide Equipment), closely mirroring Fleet’s operating model.

Daring - Type 45 Destroyer

Overall Business Objective
D Ships exists to put the fleet to sea and keep it there fit to fight.

Efficiency of operation has been a key consideration in defining and structuring the D Ships organisation. As well as radically reducing the number of ‘moving parts’, a set of focused cross-cutting business enabling functions - Safety, Commercial, Finance, Operations and Performance Management, People, Business QA and Assurance, Aviation, Through Life Change Management (TLCM) and Technology Management have been established – each with a directorate lead (Finance and Commercial Directors provide dedicated support across the cluster). A small central business enabling teams is marshalled together to provide a number of critical cluster-wide support services (e.g. Ship Maintenance Data Centre) in the Ship Enabling Business Group.

D Ships sponsors major change initiatives under the Maritime Change Programme

The Surface Ship Support Programme
Transforming and Optimising Equipment Support
BAE Systems/Vosper Thorneycroft joint venture Terms of business agreement

These initiatives are led by Director Transformation who also holds responsibility for the Naval Design Partnership and future cluster transformation.

To achieve the Overall Business Objective, we have defined four Strategic Business Objectives:

Strategic Objective 1 – User Focus

Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF)

We must deliver the agreed outputs to the agreed programme for the agreed budget, while effectively managing safety & technology and retaining flexibility now and in the future.

Strategic Objective 2 – Fulfilling our staff

HMS Echo, Survey Vessel

We must provide a fulfilling and enjoyable place to work, developing staff who are flexible, competent, and motivated to do best for Defence.

Strategic Objective 3 - Improving our Supply Base

Artists Impression of a Future Tanker

We must create an environment where productive relationships with suppliers deliver sustained improvements in performance.

Strategic Objective 4 – Improving our organisation

Long Range Insertion Craft

We must pursue sustainable efficiency through continuous improvement

Director Ships Facts

Director Ships : Rear Adm Bob Love

Director Ships Key Facts

Responsibility for the procurement and in service support of Warships and Royal Fleet Auxiliaries
Warships range in size from Aircraft Carriers to Landing Craft
RFAs are capable of providing all necessary afloat support for ships on operations.
Headquarters at Abbey Wood near Bristol with further elements in Bath, Portsmouth, Rosyth, Plymouth and Faslane
Warship procurement underway at a variety of UK shipbuilding locations

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