Army BattleLab at Dorset Innovation Park | Bournemouth Echo

Integrating the Army ‘BattleLab’ it will allow the MOD to operate in partnership with academic institutions and a range of companies to develop new items and technologies.

Establishing the Defence Development Centre at Dorset Innovation Park, the county’s financial development site at Winfrith, is a strong brand-new joint working initiative and a major increase for Dorset’s defence sector, structure on links the area has with the militaries.

Dorset Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) is investing ₤ 1.5 countless the Federal government’s Regional Growth Fund towards the centre’s building and construction. The investment will be matched by ₤ 3.1 m from the MOD and ₤ 1.1 m from Dorset Council.

It will create 90 tasks and is anticipated to improve the economy by ₤ 4m in its first ten years.

Dorset boasts a particularly strong defence sector and is house to numerous MOD facilities, such as the Army’s Armoured Trial and Advancement System in Bovington, the Royal Corps of Signals training centre in Blandford and the training area at Lulworth Cove, which is used by all aspects of the UK’s Army.

The Defence Innovation Centre, as it will be understood, will see the Army Innovation Team as the lead for the job and they have called their part of the centre the ‘Army BattleLab’, which is aiming to be functional by next spring. The BattleLab will feature an engineering workshop, along with joint working and conference areas for usage by the Army and larger MOD, for at least 15 years.

The Army says it will utilize the BattleLab as the physical manifestation of ARIEL– the Army Research Development & & Experimentation Lab. It will give soldiers the opportunity to work with ingenious industries in a shared space, allowing ideas to be developed, and technology and devices to be fine-tuned.

Defence minister Jeremy Quin said: “The Army’s BattleLab in Dorset will build close market relationships, whilst making use of cutting-edge technologies to keep our Armed Forces sharp in the face of brand-new and changing dangers. This effort will foster skill and development and will drive future success.”

Major General Jez Bennett, Director of Capability (Army) stated: “The Army BattleLab uses an unrivaled opportunity for the Army to engage straight and persistently with industry, small and medium business and institutions who can assist us think of our difficulties in a different way. Early engagement between end users– our soldiers– and those who have the know-how to establish technology, integrating our requirements and experience, will alter how we establish and obtain special and technical abilities moving forward. It is an interesting and innovative method, directly supporting our improvement agenda, and we quite anticipate seeing how it advances.”

On The Other Hand Jim Stewart, Chairman of Dorset LEP, said: “This large-scale financial investment is a significant increase to Dorset’s defence sector. Dorset is renowned for its strengths in innovation and this new MOD office will allow these sectors to grow even further. We are happy that the MoD has picked Dorset Innovation Park for the area of its Defence Fight Laboratory and we look forward to dealing with them on its success.”