Phil Gittins, Boats Team Leader at Defence Equipment and Support (DE&S) is to give an update on the UK MOD Small Boats Programme at Speed@Seawork 2023, the fast boat event targeted at users (attachés, military, coast guard, SAR, and emergency services etc), builders, and equipment suppliers. Watch the 2023 preview video to see what Phil had to say about last year's Speed@Seawork.
Phil has led the Boats Team since October 2020. The team consists of just over 50 staff responsible for the provision of over 3,000 Boats to a wide range of customers across the MOD including RN, RFA, UK Strat Com, MOD Police, Army and Adventurous Training. The Boats range from complex platforms to simple cadet dinghies covering the full range of the Acquisition lifecycle.
Prior to that, he was Deputy Head of the DE&S COVID-19 Operations Team for 6 months. This team was formed at pace to provide a professional, sustained command and co-ordination capability on behalf of the CEO, in order to support current DE&S business outputs and to prepare contingency plans for a number of most likely and worse-case scenarios.
His first role in DE&S was WATERGUARD Programme Deputy Head, enabling the outputs of Policy, Process and Procedures including the associated IS related work to enable the Department to be tax efficient and compliant with HMRC regulations, European Law, and enable the reporting of Assets Subject to Special Control (ASSC) procured under Foreign Military Sales agreements such as the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR).
Speed@Seawork will be held on Monday 12 June. The day starts with a short voyage over to the Isle of Wight, UK, with breakfast and presentations on fast boat activities, recent contracts, future developments and opportunities. Attendees have the opportunity to go out on sea boat trials in the varied sea states of the Solent. There will be expert presentations over lunch, followed by further sea trials and the day ending with networking, drinks and canapes on the return trip to Southampton. Click here for more details.
