FUSION Issue 1 2026 DIGITAL SINGLE PAGES - Flipbook - Page 11
DEFENCE
DEFENCE
IS BORROWING FROM
COMMERCIAL INDUSTRY
A Selective Adoption of Proven Models
Defence manufacturing is often seen as
operating in isolation, shaped by unique
constraints, assurance requirements, and long
programme timelines. In reality, some of the
most meaningful changes underway are being
borrowed from the commercial industry. Not
copied directly but adapted carefully.
One of the clearest shifts is in supply models.
Defence environments are increasingly moving
away from store-led, request-based issuing
towards line-side availability models that are
common in automotive and high-volume
aerospace. Vendor-managed inventory, pointof-use replenishment, and task-aligned stock
placement are becoming more prevalent,
particularly in sustainment and modification
environments where responsiveness matters
more than rigid forecasting.
A naval maintenance facility recently moved
to line-side consumable kitting, reducing
requisition delays from hours to minutes
while maintaining full traceability. It is a small
operational change with significant impact,
delivering faster turnaround, fewer stockouts,
and improved compliance documentation
without adding administrative burden.
Digital platforms that consolidate ordering,
usage data, compliance documentation, and
reporting into a single environment are also
becoming more common. In the commercial
industry, these systems are often justified by
efficiency and cost control. In defence, their
value lies in assurance. Being able to demonstrate
what was used, where, and under which controls
is now as important as the work itself.
What is notable is the selectivity of this
adoption. Defence is not chasing every
commercial trend. It is choosing approaches
that improve resilience, reduce dependency on
individual knowledge, and strengthen control
without adding friction to already complex
operations.
This quiet convergence reflects a broader
reality. Many of the challenges defence faces
today around complexity, uncertainty, and
accountability are not unique. They have
already been addressed in other industries
operating at scale. The opportunity lies not in
reinventing solutions, but in applying proven
models intelligently and to a higher standard.
These models reduce reliance on manual
requisitioning and informal workarounds,
while improving availability where work
actually happens. The emphasis is less on
optimising stock levels in isolation and more on
maintaining readiness at the point of use.
Alongside this, defence organisations are
adopting commercial-style inventory control
systems, though often with higher levels of
governance layered on top. Barcode-driven
issue and return, real-time usage capture,
and centralised stock visibility are replacing
spreadsheet-based tracking and fragmented
local records. The objective is not automation
for its own sake, but consistency and
traceability across sites, shifts, and teams.
dtc-uk.com
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