Viasat's Written Evidence Shows an Approach that Could Save
the UK Ministry of Defence Billions of Pounds, while Vastly
Increasing the Country's Defence Mission Capabilities
FARNBOROUGH, United Kingdom,
May 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Viasat
Inc. (Nasdaq: VSAT), a global communications company, submitted a
written response ("evidence") to the UK House of Commons Defence
Select Committee's inquiry on UK Defence Industrial Policy:
Procurement and Prosperity. The Committee's inquiry takes a look at
the tension between competition and strategic choice, in an effort
to help decide whether a new defence procurement strategy is needed
as part of a wider integrated review.
Viasat's evidence was published by the Committee this week, and
calls for a modernized procurement and delivery framework to match
the defence and security needs of the UK Government. In its
submission, Viasat asks the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and
Government to create an agile, hybrid approach to acquire
defence-based systems and services to meet technology acceleration
and rapidly changing adversarial threats.
The Viasat approach recommends:
- Building trusted partnerships between MoD, Government and the
private sector to drive information advantage;
- Requiring defence procurement procedures to meet stringent
competition rules;
- Executing an outcomes-based assessment programme;
- Investing in progressive technology to meet current and future
front-line mission requirements;
- Moving integration ownership to industry consortia;
- Sharing risk and design obligations—thereby alleviating the
burden on existing programme processes which are not shaped to
continuously evolve;
- Allowing industry to provide 'test before you buy' solutions to
reduce MoD costs and risk; and
- Driving incremental innovation at speeds that align with needed
capabilities.
Steve Beeching, managing
director, Viasat UK, said, "The UK Defence Industrial Policy:
Procurement and Prosperity inquiry will shine a bright light on the
current procurement procedures that have yielded programme delays,
overspending and higher risks to the MoD. We feel very strong that
a more agile, hybrid approach is needed to procure the appropriate
systems and services required to keep pace with technology
advancement. By modernizing the procurement process, MoD can work
toward better processes to keep the nation safer, its citizens
protected and its service men and woman empowered on the frontline
of battle."
For more information on the UK House of Commons Defence Select
Committee's inquiry on UK Defence Industrial Policy: Procurement
and Prosperity, visit their website here.
About Viasat
Viasat is a global communications company
that believes everyone and everything in the world can be
connected. For more than 30 years, Viasat has helped shape how
consumers, businesses, governments and militaries around the world
communicate. Today, the Company is developing the ultimate global
communications network to power high-quality, secure, affordable,
fast connections to impact people's lives anywhere they are—on the
ground, in the air or at sea. To learn more about Viasat,
visit: www.viasat.com, go to Viasat's Corporate Blog, or
follow the Company on social media at:
Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter or YouTube.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains
forward-looking statements that are subject to the safe harbors
created under the Securities Act of 1933 and the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934. Forward looking statements include among
others, statements about the potential benefits of
implementing Viasat's recommended procurement strategy—which
include the MoD saving billions of pounds, reducing risks and
vastly increasing the UK's defence mission capabilities. Readers
are cautioned that actual results could differ materially and
adversely from those expressed in any forward-looking statements.
Factors that could cause actual results to differ include: the
MoD's ability to successfully implement Viasat's recommendations,
reliance on third parties, unexpected expenses, changes in the
global business environment and economic conditions, regulatory
changes, and other factors affecting the communications and defense
industries generally. In addition, please refer to the risk factors
contained in Viasat's SEC filings available
at www.sec.gov, including Viasat's most recent
Annual Report on Form 10-K and Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q.
Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on any
forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date on
which they are made. Viasat undertakes no obligation to
update or revise any forward-looking statements for any reason.
Copyright © 2020 Viasat, Inc. All rights reserved. Viasat,
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Viasat, Inc. All other product or company names mentioned are used
for identification purposes only and may be trademarks of their
respective owners.