The Nimrod Review - Official Documents

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Today, there are three main organisations involved in Defence equipment:
Airworthiness
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Chapter 12 – History of RAF In-Service Support (1990-2009)
DE&S, which acquires and manages Defence equipment throughout its life, using Integrated Project
Teams (IPT).
11 Front Line Commands (FLC) , which operate the equipment, and maintain it in accordance with policies
laid down by DE&S and the IPTs.
Industry, which plays an ever-increasing support role in the provision of technical advice, spares,
upgrades, and, increasingly, MRO services.
Within the DE&S, Hd Air Systems, a 1-star aircraft engineering specialist within the “Corporate Services”
organisation, provides a number of technical enabling services to aircraft IPTs, such as quality assurance support,
specialist engineering advice and limited maintenance data analysis. In addition, he is dual-hatted as the technical
airworthiness regulator, a role he discharges on behalf of the Chairman of the MOD Aviation and Regulatory
Safety Board (MARSB) 12 , separate from the DE&S organisation. As such, he is the senior technical specialist
within the MOD’s Airworthiness policy organisation.
Airworthiness regulatory structure 2000-2005
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The authority to operate and regulate military aircraft was (and remains) vested in the Secretary of State for
Defence (SoS). The SoS delegated his responsibility for regulation of the different aspects of airworthiness
(design and production, through life maintenance of ‘mature’ systems, and flying operations) to the respective
Service Chiefs of Staff (COS) (including CAS, CDP, CDL and the Chief Executive Defence Aviation Repair Agency)
for the aircraft and aircraft systems for which they were responsible (JSP318B, paragraph 3.11ff). Responsibility
for the in-service phase of the Nimrod was required to be exercised at 2-star level and sub-delegated to the
IPTL, who was the ‘airworthiness authority’ for acquisition upgrades, sustainment, service designed changes,
safety operation on the Military Aircraft Register and the approval of amendments thereto (JSP318B, paragraphs
3.12.21 to 312.2.5). DG ES(Air) received Letters of Delegation (LOD) from CAS (regarding aspects of safe
operation) and from CDL (regarding technical airworthiness responsibility) (JSP318B para. 3.5). DG ES(Air) subdelegated
to the appropriate IPTLs (including the Nimrod IPTL). JSP318B, paragraph 3.6 summarised the IPTL’s
airworthiness responsibility as follows:
Regulatory set
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“The IPTL has specific duties and authority for recommendations regarding the airworthiness
of the aircraft, systems and equipment for which he is responsible under the delegations
described above. The IPTL is to ensure that the aircraft, systems and equipment meet the
airworthiness standards and guidance...”.
The Airworthiness system used by the MOD is governed by an extensive suite of Airworthiness regulations
and standards and separate Safety Management regulations which cover: (i) the procurement and support of
equipment; (ii) aircraft operation; (iii) training; and (iv) airspace management.
As indicated above, ‘Airworthiness’ in the MOD is governed through the Military Aviation Regulatory
Documentation Set (MARDS). At the highest level, Safety & Environmental Management (including Health
and Safety) is covered by JSP815 and JSP375 respectively. Operational Airworthiness is governed through the
JSP550 series – Military Aviation Policy, Regulations and Directives – which covers Flight Safety (JSP551), Air
Traffic (JSP552), Military Airworthiness (JSP553), Aerodrome Criteria and Standards (JSP554) and Test Flying
(JSP556), with Flying Orders for Contractors covered in the AvP 67.
11 Fleet, Land and Air Command.
12 Formerly the Defence Aviation Safety Board (DASB).
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