QinetiQ Defense Acquisition Lifecycle Services, a provider of services supporting the acquisition lifecycle, has assisted the UK MoD in the provision of a new ice patrol ship. She will replace HMS Endurance, at least temporarily, which suffered serious damage when she flooded in the South Atlantic in 2008 and was withdrawn from service pending a decision on her future. The MoD has selected the icebreaker MV Polarbjorn (Polar Bear) to become the Royal Navy’s new ice patrol vessel. Polarbjorn has been re-christened HMS Protector while it is in Royal Navy service. Her name is taken from the sixth HMS Protector which completed 13 Antarctic ‘seasons’ between 1955 and 1968.
The need to put in place an accelerated replacement program required the MoD to contract with industry to provide a number of specialist acquisition lifecycle services including risk management, requirement and capability planning, cost estimation, operational effectiveness analysis for the business case and preparation of the investment appraisal. QinetiQ was chosen based on its depth of capabilities in the areas identified and its track record coupled with the breadth of skills and the quality of the QinetiQ technical and commercial consulting team.