AFCEA International Chapter News
UK SOUTHERN CHAPTER CHAPTER - Mar 17, 2011

Demand for Information Systems

Attendees gathered for the chapter's annual corporate event in the historic setting of the Royal Naval Club and Royal Albert Yacht Club in Portsmouth in March. Maj. Gen. Tim Inshaw, British Army, director of information systems and services, Ministry of Defence (MOD), brief participants on the subject of “Strategic Communications—Satisfying the Impossible?”

The general admitted frankly in his introduction that demand was insatiable and could not be met. It was driven both by technology and the common operating environment, and he provided sobering examples of how the demand was increasing and where it would go in the future. He highlighted factors that contribute to the inability to meet the demand, including the slowness of MOD processes, the complicated MOD environment and inappropriate culture, and the increasing budgetary pressure and multiple layers of approval needed.

According to the general, a new approach for acquiring information systems is needed that can be better integrated, more agile and less costly. This has to be matched by a culture change, where the MOD embraces the new information environment using a range of initiatives. The speaker concluded with the sobering warning that the United Kingdom's defense sector would probably never be able to meet the information requirement, and this would be the backdrop against which it has to operate. Afterwards, the general answered at length a wide-ranging series of questions from the audience.

Event Photographs:

Russell Searle (r), chapter president, thanks Maj. Gen. Tim Inshaw, director of information systems and services, Ministry of Defence, following his speech at the March meeting.
Russell Searle (r), chapter president, thanks Maj. Gen. Tim Inshaw, director of information systems and services, Ministry of Defence, following his speech at the March meeting.

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