BRITISH ARMY
Senior staff from the British Army discuss THEIA – the Army ’ s digital transformation programme preparing the Army for the future of warfare
In March , the UK Government announced the findings of its Integrated Review of defence , security and foreign policy , ushering in a new era for a high-tech British Army . While popular media focused on the fact that Army personnel numbers would be cut by 10,000 to 72,500 by 2025 – making it the smallest it has been for 200 years – it was also clear that the world , and warfare , has changed .
While ‘ boots on the ground ’ still has a place and vital role to play , there is an increasing need to develop and utilise leading-edge technology to wage 21st-century warfare – from cyber space to outer space .
The Integrated Review saw conventional hardware spending cut , some ‘ heavy metal ’ programmes scrapped , and a distinct pivot towards high-tech capabilities including cyber , artificial intelligence , unmanned vehicles , and space .
Announced towards the end of 2020 , THEIA ( pronounced THAY-A ) is the name of the Army ’ s ambitious Digital Transformation programme , which aims to make use of digitised information and digital technologies to improve operational and business decision making across all Army functions .
THEIA has got three headline outputs – to out-compete the adversary , to partner better and integrate with partners , and to improve efficiency . Or , to put it another way , it ’ s transforming the Army ’ s capabilities to make it faster , leaner and more efficient from the base to the bayonet . It is both
50 December 2021