Defence contractor Lockheed Martin announced today it had procured the core software to be used in the project to develop new management information systems for the Ministry of Defence (MoD).
The agreement is the largest ever signed by the winning asset management and supply chain software provider, IFS Applications and is worth 13.9 million to it in product revenue alone.
The software will form a key part of the Joint Asset Management Engineering Solution (JAMES) Land project to replace the existing, JAMES 1 system currently used by 9,000 users in the regular UK army to optimise asset usage with minimal fleet sizes.
The new software will provide the Army with asset information related to identification, configuration and maintenance requirements as well as current usage and owner.
The software vendor said its Applications 7 suite would also be used to extend the functionality of the JAMES 1 systems, with components handling processes involved in engineering, asset data collection and analysis as well as workshop management for the modification of assets.
The new JAMES system is anticipated to improve mobility and will also be extended to include ground-based equipment used by the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force.
The MoD's stated goal with JAMES Land has been to improve availability, enhance operational and training effectiveness and reduce equipment support costs. And roll out is scheduled to commence in 2010.
