The partnership of Aquila Learning Ltd and Copernicus Technology Ltd (our delivery and support partner based in Lossiemouth) provides the ALaRMS training management system for the Poseidon P-8A Maritime Patrol Aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth. This cutting-edge technology harnesses all requirements of Defence Systems Approach to Training (DSAT) through Analysis, Design, Delivery and Assurance, with the added benefit of linking the training system to the safety and risk systems. Following a rigorous qualification process led by the P-8 delivery team at Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S), ALaRMS is now available for P-8 staff on the Defence Intranet System MODNet, and can in future, be accessed by other Defence organisations that purchase licenses. This opens up ALaRMS to wider MOD requirements for a future proofed, coherent and integrated TMS.

Mark Radbourne, the MD of Aquila Learning and the brains behind ALaRMS said: “Over the past 18 months we have seen the huge benefit that ALaRMS brings to Defence in the pursuit of optimised training management and assurance. The seamless link that ALaRMS provides from Analysis to Design to Delivery to Assurance, can now be fully exploited with MODNet connectivity. This digital link makes ALaRMS (and the training data it manages) available to multiple stakeholders for the first time, increasing efficiency, effectiveness and safety across the entire training pipeline of a capability, individual or team.”

Mark Corden, who leads the DE&S P-8 Training effort said: “To have undergone the very challenging MODNet approval process under the pandemic circumstances is an enormous credit to teamwork of all parties from a myriad of Defence organisations and our commercial partners of Copernicus Technology and Aquila Learning. All those using ALaRMS on MODNet, with many working from home, are very impressed with how responsive it is, how intuitive the functionality is and, for such a complex platform as the P-8, how it enables disciplined co-ordination of a large number of training requirements”.

Copernicus Technology are currently using the integrated analysis and design features of ALaRMS to facilitate the significant analysis and design tasks on this programme; the system is an effective force multiplier, allowing far more to be done with less, saving huge amounts of time. The Team, based near RAF Lossiemouth, have had a busy time since May supporting the P-8A Poseidon Course Design Team at RAF Lossiemouth to develop the courseware for the future aircrew Operational Conversion Unit and Maintenance Training for Engineers. Roo Hornby, who leads the Copernicus team, said: ‘ALaRMS is playing an essential role in ensuring the design and assurance required to develop such a complex training programme. Furthermore, access via MODNet has allowed 90% of the work done so far to be done from home in a highly efficient and coherent fashion.’