7 10월 2022

Collaborating to harness the power of disruptive technology

Digital technology is shaping the future of defence and it’s changing the way we work.

Speaking at the annual Disruptive Technology for Defence Transformation event, Babcock’s Chief Technology Officer, Dr Richard Drake said the innovative approaches we are creating now will help us better prepare for the changing battlespace.

As the second largest supplier to the UK Ministry of Defence, Babcock is working with AI and autonomous systems to transform the work we are doing across core programmes such as warships or Army vehicle sustainment.

He said: “Transformation isn’t just about new platforms and technologies, it needs to include the legacy systems we manage. Not only are we integrating new technology solutions onto those assets, but we must also address the digital skills challenge as we need people that understand the expanding data world we are moving into.

“The innovative approaches we are creating now will help us better prepare for that changing battlespace, better understand the challenges and threats we could be exposed to, so we can better protect the communities we operate in.”

Speaking alongside senior military leaders from the UK, NATO and international defence groups as well as other leading technology innovators, Dr Drake talked of the power of working within a tight-knit ecosystem of suppliers and partners to deliver innovation in areas like AI, autonomous systems and robotics.

“Given the scale and complexity at which we operate in – integration and collaboration with a trusted ecosystem of SMEs and academic partners with the right talent-set is critical for us to achieve that,” he added.

Babcock will continue to invest in areas such as AI, additive manufacturing, digital twinning and human machine teaming as part of its future technology programmes.