RN Communications and Information Systems Branch Review – Update

RNTM 311/11
Purpose
1.   The purpose of this RNTM is to inform all relevant authorities of the decision by the Naval Board Personnel Change Programme (NBPCP) to transfer the responsibility for Communications and Information Systems afloat, including the management and administration of the CIS and CISSM personnel, to the Weapon Engineering Department.

Background
2.   The role, functions and systems support that the CIS/CISSM branch provides is far removed from that which were delivered at inception and whilst a shift has been evident in all branches of Warfare none has been as dramatic as that of CIS. Individual roles within CIS/CISSM have been recognised as being fundamentally different to the roles of equivalent Warfare Branch Operators and it can be argued that CIS/CISSM personnel are often regarded as “somewhat different” by their fellow Warfare ratings with senior management increasingly less familiar of the roles and responsibilities required to deliver the current communications information systems. An information orientated Navy continues the drive towards a capability based delivery function and has required a shift of working practices away from operator to such an extent that in assurance and administrative terms, it sits more closely with the WE department and requires a technical head. Indeed, the roles and responsibilities have increasingly converged over the past few years that in many instances the core professional requirements are very similar.
Trial Outcome
3.   To prove the concept a number of trials have taken place. Initial SSN trials completed in Jan 10 and were subsequently extended under RNTM 001/10. Similarly, HMS ASTUTE adopted the Communications and Information Systems Engineer (CISE) concept at build and this is also being trialled in SSBNs, commencing with HMS VIGILANT post refit. HMS LIVERPOOL and HMS MANCHESTER have also trialled the concept of the management and administration of the CIS sub-branch under the WE Department.  The formal Fleet trial in HMS DAUNTLESS will complete in Dec 11 and the ship has already submitted an interim, post BOST, report which was highly encouraging.
5.  Units that have taken part in trials have reported unequivocal success, with the WE and IS working together in a unified structure and whilst promoting a feeling of ‘belonging’ amongst CIS ratings it has also enabled a more technical oversight of the delivery of information to the Command.  It has been recognised that we are able to maximise operational capability of the communication systems and services through this approach and it is also coherent with the other areas where the WEs provide an assured service to the command (in this case assured information delivery and transmission).
Future
6.  Units operating under trial programmes will permanently adopt this way of working, informing the Multi-Disciplinary Team (MDT) on recommendations to assist further implementation across the Fleet. An MDT will convene in the New Year to collate the feedback from surface and sub-surface units in order to:

• Review recommendations from previous and current trials.
• Implement a rolling programme to bring into effect WE responsibility of the CIS branch at sea.
• Produce a Fleetwide implementation plan, under NBPCP governance, linked to the change in responsibility.
• Identify and discuss future training objectives and career path options.
• Address downstream issues including the provision of a headmark for the future of the CIS branch.

Review
7.         This RNTM will be reviewed on 1 Jul ‘12
Thanks to Gary Kingdon for the contribution.