U.K. Announces National Armaments Director Role to Oversee Defense Procurement, Cut Waste

The U.K. Ministry of Defense (MoD) has announced the creation of of a new role- National Armaments Director ensure the armed forces are properly equipped to defend Britain, to build up the British defence industry and to crack down on waste.

The recruitment process for the role has now begun, with a search for candidates now underway and which will continue over the coming weeks, a MoD release said Wednesday.

The new National Armaments Director will be responsible for:

-Delivering the capabilities required from industry to execute the Defence plans and operations demanded by the new era.

-Shaping and delivering the Defence industrial strategy which will be launched in the coming weeks.

-Ensuring a resilient supply chain and the required readiness of the national ‘arsenal’.

-Leading on UK defence exports and acquisition reform.

-Harmonizing procurement and working closely with wider government, industry, academia, and international partners to deploy best practice and investment.

The reforms will also see the Chief of the Defence Staff overseeing a new Military Strategic Headquarters (MSHQ) where he will formally command the individual Service Chiefs for the first time.

They will now be central to investment decisions between the Services, along with the Defence Secretary and Permanent Secretary.

This Government’s MOD reforms will ensure faster delivery and clearer accountability across Defence, to support the Government’s ‘One Defence’ drive. They will also ensure defence is ready to take forward recommendations of the Strategic Defence Review, with the new MSHQ fully functioning by the end of 2024 – ready to implement recommendations from the SDR in the first half of next year.

Defence Secretary John Healey MP said:

“Our government is delivering the change we promised: cracking down on waste and boosting Britain’s defence industry.”