The Ministry of Defence has awarded a £320 million contract to IBM UK to deliver a new platform designed to transform the way the Armed Forces manage and maintain equipment, a development that will both strengthen military capability and generate significant opportunities across the defence supply chain.
The Defence Equipment Engineering Asset Management Systems (DEEAMS) programme will replace 17 outdated and fragmented applications with a single modern platform, harnessing artificial intelligence to improve the speed and quality of decision making. The new system is expected to deliver more than £1 billion in benefits, including reduced support and IT costs, while providing personnel with real-time data on maintenance, stock availability, engineering planning and repair schedules across more than 130 major military platforms.
The contract will create more than 100 highly-skilled UK jobs and is directly aligned with the government’s Plan for Change, which emphasises defence as an engine of economic growth. Serving over 65,000 users, the system will enable predictive maintenance and the adoption of further productivity-enhancing technologies, ensuring the Armed Forces can maintain operational effectiveness in an increasingly complex threat environment. This investment also reflects the Strategic Defence Review’s call for rapid modernisation and digital integration, with data and advanced digital systems recognised as core to future military resilience.
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that DEEAMS will enhance the Armed Forces’ ability to deploy the right equipment at the right time, whether operating at home or overseas, while providing a more sustainable and cost-efficient approach to asset management. By consolidating multiple legacy systems, the platform will also support improved cyber resilience and provide a foundation for greater innovation in the coming years. For defence suppliers, contractors and technology partners, the contract signals substantial scope for involvement in delivery, integration and long-term support.
IBM has stated that it will deliver the platform in collaboration with ecosystem partners, underlining the scale of subcontracting and specialist expertise that will be required across the project’s lifecycle. This is likely to open opportunities for UK-based firms with expertise in digital engineering, data management, cyber security and defence logistics. The government’s commitment to sustained investment, with defence spending set to rise to 2.6% of GDP by 2027, provides a stable environment for companies considering entry or expansion into this field.
DEEAMS represents one of the most significant steps in the digital transformation of the Defence estate to date. It demonstrates how targeted investment in artificial intelligence and advanced systems can both strengthen the nation’s warfighting capabilities and create long-term opportunities for industry, supporting skilled employment and positioning the UK as a leader in defence innovation.
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Post written by: Vicky Maggiani
Vicky has worked in media for over 25 years and has a wealth of experience in editing and creating copy for a variety of sectors.
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