The U.K. Ministry of Defence has created a new national armaments director role as part of reforms designed to keep pace with increasing global threats and to ensure the readiness of its defense personnel and capabilities to respond to potential conflict.
The armaments director will provide warfighters with commercial equipment needed to operate in the current geopolitical landscape; oversee U.K. defense exports and acquisition reform; and strengthen partnerships with other government entities, industry, academia and international partners related to procurement best practices and investment. Recruitment for the new role is ongoing.
John Healey, the British defense secretary, is leading the implementation of the ministry reforms, which also include having the chief of the defense staff head the new Military Strategic Headquarters, or MSHQ, set for launch in the coming weeks, with full operations to begin by the end of 2024.
As the MSHQ lead, the defense staff chief will command the individual service chiefs and collaborate with the defense secretary and the permanent secretary on investment decisions within each military service.
According to the U.K. government, the growing Russian military aggression and the rising tension in the Middle East contributes to increasing global threats.
Healey said the reforms will support the British government’s One Defence drive, which aims to make the United Kingdom “secure at home and strong abroad.”
“These vital reforms will make UK military decision making faster, keep the country safer and achieve best value for taxpayers,” he added.