Royal Air Force Cosford Present

The formation of federated Defence Training Colleges, such as the DCAE, was and is an important step in the migration to a partnered solution for Defence Training. On 17 January 2007, the Secretary of State for Defence, as part of a broad statement about the whole of the DTR, announced, “a PPP contract route had been chosen…..” to take forward Phase 2 (generic trade training) within the UK’s Armed Forces. Metrix Consortium was selected as the Preferred Bidder for Package 1 (AE, EM and CIS engineering streams) and Provisional Preferred Bidder for Package 2 (the remaining 3 training streams). Subsequently, it was decided that Package 1 training streams would, subject to final ministerial approval, migrate to the Metrix-proposed Defence Training College at MOD St Athan in South Wales.

On 19 October 10, the outcome of the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) was announced; on the same day, a statement was made about the DTR programme. As a consequence of the latter, which included the information that the preferred bidder statusof Metrix had been terminated, the future for staff and students at RAF Cosford was once again placed under the microscope.

The DTR announcement explained that despite strenuous efforts of the MOD and Metrix, it hadnot been possible to make the project affordable nor had it been possible to develop the required commercial structurewithin the time allowed. However, it also recognised that the aims behind the DTR are still valid, i.e. there remains a need to continue to deliver the highest quality technical training to the military in a way that is effective; delivers value for money and is affordable; and using modern and up-to-date equipment and facilities.

Given that the need still exists to deliver Defence Training Transformation, a range of alternative proposals for the delivery of training will now be explored. Moreover, while the work on the DTR was run in parallel with the SDSR, the training requirements will be amended in due course to account for the outcome of the SDSR.

Thus, for now at Cosford, we continue with our job of delivering the best military Aeronautical Engineers and Information and Communication Technicians to Royal Air Force squadrons and the front line. In parallel, appropriate staff will continue to input their knowledge to the team investigating the best way to deliver Defence Training Transformation in the future. We will continue to do that work at Cosford until told otherwise, and we anticipate that this will be at least until 2015, as was the original plan under Metrix. Of course, decisions are also awaited about the future locations for those non-DTR Package 1 units which lodge currently at RAF Cosford.

As for a future Defence Technical College, that remains but one possible part of a range of proposals that are now being explored across the Ministry of Defence.

The impact of the DTR decision will now be considered alongside the BORONA Programme which, post-departure of DCAE and No1 Radio School from Cosford, identifies the Cosford Site as the preferred estate solution for 102 Logistics Brigade returning from Germany. However, as the Army is not due to occupy Cosford until 2018, there is time to review these plans if necessary.

(RAF Cosford - Given the strong likelihood that the DCAE would migrate to St Athan – i.e. a tri-Service AE college would not eventually be built at Cosford – the decision was taken in early 2009 to resume calling the site ‘RAF Cosford’; the various training schools, headquarters and units lodging on the site. The Commandant DCAE is also Officer Commanding RAF Cosford.)