SYMDEX debate on the importance of new technologies in Defence systems

The fourth edition of the SYMDEX workshops drew to a close on 28 June at the Army’s Polytechnic School. This edition, whose theme was “The cycle of life and new technologies”, focused on the current and future impact that new technologies, like self-diagnostic structures, additive manufacturing, reuse, simulation and industry 4.0 have on the maintenance and modernization of Defence equipment and systems. Numerous experts in logistics from the Ministry of Defence, the Armed Forces and the public sector debated this topic.

The workshops were organised by IDS, in concert with the Ministry of Defence’s General Directorate for Armament and Materiel (DGAM) and the logistics support commands of the three branches of Spain’s Armed Forces.

Isdefe took part as a sponsor and presenter in the workshops with its discussion on “Predictive models at the MALE based on RBS”, presented by Ana Belén Hernán, from the Strategic Management Processes and Logistics Office. Ana Belén debated alongside experts from the Navy, Air Force, Navantia, Indra and Deloitte at the roundtable on “Experience and solutions”, moderated by Antonio Fonfría Mesa, a Professor of Applied Economics at the UCM.

SYMDEX provides a good stage for sharing our know-how and experience in the area of support and logistics management. At Isdefe we provide support to the Army in its implementation of the “Readiness-Based Sparing (RBS)” analytical model, which makes it possible to reliably predict the relationship between the operational availability, cost and use of various weapons systems. The Army uses this method to determine and prioritise which spare parts to acquire, obtaining the highest operational readiness possible with the assets available.