13 Sep 2023

Babcock strengthens its data capabilities in defence with Palantir partnership

Babcock is strengthening its digital defence capabilities through an Enterprise Agreement (EA) with Palantir Technologies UK, announced at DSEI today.

The partnership will provide Babcock with a data platform aimed at transforming, capturing, integrating, modelling and building data-driven solutions. Unlocking the power of data in this way will enable us to make better informed data-driven decisions, maximise platform availability on our customer assets, and understand where we can drive even more value through data.

The partnership will support all areas of Babcock’s defence business across submarines, warships, army equipment and training right through to supply chains.

Welcoming the announcement at DSEI, Babcock CEO for Land, Tom Newman, said: “As the defence landscape becomes increasingly digital in nature, our data challenges are also growing in complexity and volume.

“Given the complex defence supply chains we operate in, having a true data picture of that ecosystem is vital in allowing us to make better strategic decisions and aligns us to our customer’s digital defence backbone.”

Guy Williams, Head of UK Defence & National Security from Palantir Technologies UK Ltd., said: “We’re excited to partner with Babcock as they realise their digital defence ambitions. Together, we are driving toward a new era for the UK’s Defence enterprise – one that is pioneering, modern and AI-enabled.

“Our partnership with Babcock will help ensure the MOD maximise operational output at pace, whilst empowering Babcock’s talented workforce to become truly digitally enabled.“

The agreement with Palantir will consolidate data streams into one place, whether that’s on supply chains or asset management, with toolsets and analytics. Unlocking the real value of that data will build on our data intelligence and engineering expertise to deliver better data-driven solutions, faster and more cost-effectively – anywhere in the world.

This new platform approach will also allow us to co-ordinate more closely with the customer and improve how we better understand and utilise data, enabling us to be a key part of our customers’ critical defence missions.

For example in DSG, we’re combining this smart data approach with our deep engineering expertise to improve fleet availability and real time identification of any issues throughout the asset lifecycle.

Using the right technology and harnessing it for greatest impact means we can provide optimal performance, mitigate risks for the British Army realising value for defence across equipment support.

Areas the partnership will focus on include:

• Equipment support and maintenance: Data insights on how to increase platform availability and readiness, as well as spares provision and requisition.
• Training contracts: Insights into training performance, training needs to support strategic decisions and customer requirements.
• Shipbuilding: Cost-savings and efficiencies by bringing together disparate data streams that teams are working on at any point in an asset lifecycle.

Pictured: Tom Newman,Babcock CEO for Land with Guy Williams, Head of UK Defence & National Security from Palantir Technologies UK Ltd.