BAE Systems and Digital Catapult strengthen ongoing partnership with new supply chain project
Posted 22 Nov 2022
BAE Systems and Digital Catapult are collaborating to boost understanding of how digital technologies can deliver benefits to BAE Systems’ supply chain operation.
A significant amount of BAE Systems’ business is delivered by its supply chain, and through the introduction of digital technology there is a huge opportunity to decrease risk, reduce time to market and improve quality through a more collaborative approach and improved visibility.
Innovative supply chain technology is at the heart of several programmes led by Digital Catapult, the UK authority on advanced digital technology, with major initiatives targeting businesses in the UK’s manufacturing sectors. Digital Catapult and BAE Systems have worked together on major digital innovation projects including:
- DCMS funded 5G Factory of the Future to develop a smart factory with fully integrated 5G capabilities;
- Made Smarter Technology Accelerator saw cutting edge startups help BAE Systems address challenges around manufacturing defects and quality control;
- Made Smarter INTELI aims to achieve significant reductions in supply chain costs through improved efficiencies using distributed ledger technologies, internet of things and artificial intelligence to improve additive manufacturing processes for high value aerospace components.
The latest collaboration for the two companies focuses on developing a clear strategy and roadmap for understanding the benefits of different approaches to building a digital first supply chain, highlighting the opportunities to decrease risk, reduce time to market and improve quality through a more collaborative approach, all enabled by advanced digital technology.
The growth of a digital supply chain is a key enabler for potential use of digital twin capabilities, as well as digital data exchange, and near real time visibility of supply chain performance.
We’ve been working closely with Digital Catapult for a number of years, more recently we have been supporting the £25m Made Smarter Innovation Digital Supply Chain Hub led by Digital Catapult where we have a number of live projects as well as holding a position on the Industry Advisory Group. Digital technology has the ability to revolutionise the way we do business with our supply chain and Digital Catapult is ideally positioned to help BAE Systems develop its future digital supply chain strategy
Chris Pett Head of Supply Chain – Future Air Combat System at BAE Systems
We’re thrilled to continue our long-standing partnership with BAE Systems. Creating a ‘digital first’ mindset is in part about exploiting advanced tech to create more sustainable, faster and more cost-effective outputs, and also about using the rapid feedback cycle of experimentation, measurement and change to fuel innovation.
Tim Lawrence Director – Digital Supply Chain, Digital Catapult
Factory of the Future
Digital Catapult will be leading the integration capability for manufacturing and industrial domains, as part of the Factory of the…
