CIOs are rarely asked to create a platform that supports secure collaboration between thousands of partners for one of the UK’s biggest ever infrastructure projects as part of a national endeavour. But it happens, occasionally. Steve Harnett, Digital Lead, AWE explains.
In March 2024, the Ministry of Defence published the Defence Nuclear Enterprise Command Paper, setting out the UK’s nuclear programme as a critical ‘National Endeavour,’ vital for our long-term security and prosperity. AWE’s mission within this is to design and manufacture warheads and provide nuclear services that support the UK’s continuous at sea deterrent and nuclear threat reduction capabilities.
This national endeavour represents a new era for AWE that has kickstarted a multi-billion pound, multi-year portfolio of infrastructure investment that will see AWE refurbish, replace and remove existing infrastructure, and create new infrastructure and facilities. This ‘Capital Programme’, spanning nearly 300 individual infrastructure projects, requires AWE to partner and collaborate with a wide base of construction, manufacturing and other industrial organisations to help create, design and build AWE’s facilities.
A unique challenge: secure, open collaboration
Ensuring every element of this programme is synchronised, on time and on budget brings enormous complexity. Multiple teams and simultaneous projects will need to collaborate on construction estimates, building, plant and equipment design, construction engineering, and business administration, as well as all-important health and safety permits and certificates. And, given the national security implications of AWE’s work, all this must be done in a uniquely secure environment.
Developing a system with these demands has required AWE to consider aspects such as infrastructure project interdependencies, common system platforms, standardised data across them, and a single management contract.
To create a unifying system to serve AWE needs, the company began in 2022 by defining a ‘Digital Vision’ and strategy spanning every facet of the business, its operations and partners. AWE required common systems and an integrated ecosystem to leverage data for maximum effect and promote new and collaborative ways of working. However, while the data on the system will be owned by AWE, it was also decided the platform should run independently of AWE’s existing networks.
Partnering for design success
As principal system users, AWE sought input on its design and functionality from its existing tier 1 supply chain partners. While AWE effectively acts as a service provider to them, responsible for developing and maintaining performance SLAs, it is critical that partners have a platform that works for them.
Five tier 1 partners have been involved in its creation, adopting industry best practice from other programmes. Striking the balance between the need for an environment that is simultaneously open, collaborative, yet secure is no mean feat. But the result is AWE’s ‘Capital Platform’, a cloud-based software-asa-service space that is secure by design.
The platform uses industry standards and best practice for data management, and will be delivered and operated by AWE’s supply chain partners themselves, ensuring they retain equity and commitment to its operation.
Developing a future legacy
Phase 1 will onboard early adopters in Q3 this year, prioritising and testing key functions such as document management. Subsequent phases will address a further 30+ capabilities in total. These include automation features as well as ‘digital twin’ capability to visualise and improve infrastructure development, and AI capabilities to modernise working practices.
AWE’s goals and expectations are similar to other projects – increasing resource efficiency, reducing cost, and improving working practices. But the unique nature of AWE’s work adds an additional dimension of responsibility as it forms a key capability that ultimately supports the UK’s national security. This is a unique platform in UK infrastructure development, whose digital strategy outlooks more than 15 years and will serve future employees – many of whom are still in school today.
For more stories like this, visit our Leadership section