§ Lord Astor of Heverasked Her Majesty's Government:
What progress NITEworks has made to date in meeting the requirements of network enabled capabilities for British Armed Forces; and what costs it has incurred to the Treasury thus far. [HL4017]
§ Lord BachNITEworks has been in operation since 16 June 2003. In this time NITEworks has completed two major experiments: kill chain development stage 1, and component CIS integration. It has supported UK involvement in the US Joint Forces Command multinational experiment 3, and has also completed initial work on three further experimental themes: indirect fire integration, ISTAR request for information management, and the joint operational picture.
NITEworks has established a unique MoD industry partnership to develop our understanding of the potential of network enabled capability, together with a world-leading experimentation capability providing an environment for exploring the future battlespace.
158WAProgramme interventions (equipment, doctrine and training) have been proposed which would significantly improve our ability to engage time-sensitive targets; to integrate our CIS assets across component boundaries; to realise joint fires; to co-ordinate and synchronise our ISTAR assets; and to ensure coherence of our joint operational and recognised land pictures. NITEworks has also ensured that the UK contributes fully to the development of coalition concepts for future effects based operations. NITEworks remains at the heart of our departmental approach to the delivery of network enabled capability.
The cost to the Treasury of NITEworks operations to date has been £13.6 million.