The Royal Air Force

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RAF Strike Command - SAPPHIRE

“Fujitsu brought success to the project by delivering to time, cost and with quality. They were very flexible and met our evolving user requirements.” Andrew Hill – Squadron Leader

Customer's Challenge

RAF Strike Command is a large and complex organisation with the challenge to deliver air power effectively and efficiently any time and anywhere in the world. This has to be done within budget, with high visibility of any operational risks that may exist.

Reporting has to take account of different aspects such as; output costing and performance reporting, funding targets and operational requirements, financial measures and operational readiness ratings, actual achievement and forecasts of future capability, together with identifying and managing associated risks. To achieve this the system has the following:

• Performance Management needs to measure and report on the degree to which targets have been, and are forecast to be, met.
• Finance Management needs to measure and report on financial performance, in terms of the breakdown of cost of delivery of Strike Command’s outputs (Typhoon, Tornado, Comms Fleet, Nimrod R1 etc).
• Risks and Issues Management needs to identify, analyse and report on threats to capability, such as equipment problems, shortfalls in resources and other possible adverse future events.
• Supplier Management needs to manage internal and external contracts as well as agreements for services and supplies together with associated measures, for example, on price and availability.

Not unexpectedly, one component's success is not necessarily another's. For example, although financial budgets might be met, the targets for the delivery of key outputs may not be met due to insufficient funding of required resources to enable the delivery.

In the past, there were different versions of 'the truth' and it was not easy to see whether or not the organisation was performing well as a whole.

Senior Commanders wanted to see the true capability of Strike Command in a single repository, in a balanced scorecard format with access to the detail behind the highlevel views when required.

They also wanted to get this data automatically, without hours of manual collation work or laborious cut and paste report production. They also needed universal access to performance, cost and risk data enabling staff at all levels, from Commander in Chief to squadron staff, to work with the same information.

Fujitsu’s Solution

After carrying out a detailed requirements capture and analysis, Fujitsu developed and delivered a new Performance and Risk Management System, named 'SAPPHIRE', with balanced scorecard capabilities.

It is based on Oracle Database technology, sitting on the RAF's existing communications infrastructure and currently comprises three modules - Performance Management, Finance Management, and Risk and Issues Management. Further modules covering Supplier Management and Capability Management are being developed.

SAPPHIRE takes information from other databases such as RASDA (for data on aircraft, aircrew and flying operations) and finance systems. It then evaluates the data according to defined rules to provide achievement data in traffic lights format. It supplies information in a variety of ways, as defined by users and as appropriate to their individual organisation unit needs.

Fujitsu provide training, system management, support and maintenance services to Strike Command. Fujitsu also implement changes and add new functionality to SAPPHIRE as it's requirements continue to evolve.

Benefits to our Customer

• One version of the truth - One database with a consolidated view of operational performance, risks, contracts and costs provides a single version of the truth.
• Instant access - Information is now available to all levels in a few keystrokes.
• Better decisions - More accurate and objective reporting gives commanders a clearer understanding of the costs and results of their activities leading to better, faster decisions.
• More effective working - Senior managers and staff officers are equally aware of the big picture, which helps them work together more effectively.
• Enter once, use many times - Data is entered only once and can then be re-used many times and viewed in a variety of ways.
• Reduced administration costs - Previous reporting systems were labour intensive and SAPPHIRE assists with automating report production. Comprehensive reports can be viewed on a single screen, and information presented in Balanced Scorecard format may be printed on a single side of A4.
• Better Supplier Management - With the addition of this module, commanders will have the benefit of an integrated view of the performance of their own organisation and that of their suppliers.
• Objective and Subjective Data - Performance information produced from objective measures defined by SAPPHIRE can be complemented by the commander's subjective assessments, with associated explanation for the differences. This provides a more balanced and comprehensive view of performance.
• Forecasting for the future - The emphasis of management information systems is shifting from reporting on the past to managing for the future and SAPPHIRE supports performance forecasts, and risk assessments with a time horizon anytime up to the year 2050.
• Adds value to existing data - SAPPHIRE supplies information to the main management reporting tool used in central MOD as well as extracting performance data from other systems.
• The end of silo thinking - Training for the new system and its subsequent use has facilitated the establishment of a more corporately-aware approach to performance and risk management.

Our Approach

SAPPHIRE has been, and continues to be, delivered in phases. This has afforded not only earlier benefits, but also enables feedback to be more effectively accounted for in subsequent phases.

Training, which is available as a computer-based package for use mainly in tutor-led sessions, not only covers the use of the system but also recognises the need to implement cultural and mind-set changes in order to achieve optimum returns on the investment in SAPPHIRE.

The Expertise

Air Commodore Mark Swan comments: “We are already seeing some of the benefits that were originally promised from SAPPHIRE. This has been a team achievement and I recognise the key role that Fujitsu has played in getting us this far.”

Fujitsu were chosen for the project because of their proven expertise, particularly in the development, implementation and support of the RASDA application.

Squadron Leader Andrew Hill points out, “Fujitsu brought success to the project by delivering to time, cost and with quality. They were very flexible and met our evolving user requirements.”