12 Mar 2010
-
Network Integration Test & Experimentation works
Overview
Niteworks is a partnership between the MOD (including Dstl) and Industry. The Industry Partners come from the major defence providers to ensure a breadth of domain knowledge, and also from an increasingly diverse Associate community of small and medium enterprises, specialists, research establishments and consulting companies. BAE Systems is the lead Industry Partner.
Niteworks is unique in providing a collaborative environment which enables the MOD and Industry to work together to make informed decisions for MOD. Impartiality, scalability and agility are crucial components – Niteworks is constituted and operates in a way that enables the MOD to access a range of expertise without individual company bias.
The breadth of the Niteworks Partnership enables Niteworks to verify and accelerate the insertion of new solutions across the Defence Lines of Development. It does this by providing a multi-disciplinary environment to explore innovative and practical solutions to capability challenges, as well as providing impartial advice to MOD through the provision of the Key Systems Advisor (KSA) service.
Key Facts
Originally established in 2003 to examine the challenges of implementing effective NEC through warfighting experimentation, Niteworks has evolved to become a highly flexible decision support tool capability for MOD. MOD recognition of Niteworks’ value following the Assessment Phase resulted in a new five-year contract being awarded in late 2007. It moved Niteworks beyond its traditional warfighting experimentation and NEC domain into a broader and more flexible decision support arena.
Excellence in delivery
The Joint Capabilities Board (JCB) has endorsed Niteworks, not only as MOD’s centre of excellence for warfighting experimentation, but also as a source of impartial decision support. It delivers vital contributions in three principle areas:
-
Operations Support
– Niteworks applies knowledge, methods and expertise to understanding the risks and impacts of operational options. It helps inform choices and decisions that improve the capability of warfighting and peacekeeping interventions. -
Capability Planning
– Niteworks helps inform the choices available, in the context of current capability need. It informs decisions by demonstrating the impact and outcomes of different options. -
Capability Delivery
– Niteworks evidences the cross-DLoD trades in a Through Life Capability Management (TLCM) context and informs MOD Programme Board options. Niteworks enables decision makers in acquisition and delivery to reduce risk before commitment, and enhance value for money.
Additionally Niteworks has been tasked to enable NEC through the KSA service. In this role, Niteworks will supply resource, and support and facilitate industry access to enable the operational delivery of the KSA service by a combined Industry and MOD team.
