New Ministry of Defence CIO outlines transformation plans

MoD CIO Mike Stone warns that IT transformation 'won't happen overnight'

New Ministry of Defence (MoD) CIO Mike Stone has outlined IT transformation plans intended to deliver "the modern, open and flexible IT we need to support defence activity".

The aim of the plans is to improve the department's support for mobile computing, as well as more flexible modes of working.

"If there is one message that I have been given loud and clear from all levels of Defence, it is that we need to dramatically improve our core IT system, the Defence Information Infrastructure (DII)," wrote Stone in a blog posting.

He continued: "Fifteen years ago, when DII [Defence Information Infrastructure] was specified, many of us didn't have mobile phones and those that did only used them to make calls. Likewise, many also didn't have PCs at home and, if they did, they were pretty limited in what they could do. For most of us, what we had at work was vastly superior.

"We now live in an age of mobility enabled by cloud computing, enhanced security on our commercial devices and the ability to be able to work seamlessly between multiple devices. Most of us have as much computing power in our pockets as we have on our desks at work. Put very simply, it's a completely new type of IT which we need to deliver and then exploit in the workplace," he added.

The transformation plan had been agreed with, and will be delivered alongside, the organisation's IT partners, Fujitsu, BT and HP.

"Last week I set out to those in Defence my vision for 2016 in which users will have information capabilities that are tailored to their mission, location and role, accessed at the right time, through a choice of devices over a cost-effective, modern and adaptable infrastructure. For non-sensitive, everyday work we will adopt commercial standards and security arrangements," wrote Stone.

The change programme will begin in September with better internet access, quicker logon and logoff times, access to social media and more flexible mobility solutions using Wi-Fi. This first phase will take until March 2015, according to Stone.