The technical training that RAF staff receive is second to none. Now, with a new defence wide, tri-service training programme bringing together the RAF, the Army and the Royal Navy its taking a giant leap forward in scope and delivery to meet every future operational demand.

Most future operations will be joint or multinational but depend upon single Service professionalism and esprit de corps. It is this which will be fostered in an increasingly Joint Training environment. Our soldiers, sailors and airmen and women will benefit hugely through shared knowledge, skills and experience.

Modernising Defence

In 2001 the Ministry of Defence's Defence Training Review (DTR) published its recommendations that some types of specialist training be delivered jointly across the armed services, to further modernise our defence capability. Since then, through several phases of development, this remit has been steadily developed with full implementation due to occur in 2010.

The DTR's innovative methodology for this programme means that, where appropriate, personnel from the 3 services will undergo the same specialist training. The DTR identified that, despite earlier rationalisation, the training estate was still too large. We now have the opportunity to invest more money in fewer training establishments. Our personnel will be trained to the highest standard with the best instructors and specialists in all fields.

The programme will deliver substantial benefits to the MOD. A £700m training facility will be built at St Athan to support the redesign and improvement of training courses and facilities. Not only will this include modern training facilities but the latest design of single living accommodation and over 450 new houses for service families. The infrastructure will be maintained and updated throughout the Project's 30 year life. Furthermore, the contract is such that the cost associated with the construction programme, changes to the training demand requirement and wage inflation over the 30 years are carried by Metrix (the Preferred Bidder). The risks of inflation for cleaning and catering are also included in the whole life costs of the project.

Key Messages

The key messages are that the DTR Package 1 Project seeks to deliver:

• Better Training.  DTR will deliver more effective training to meet the operational requirements of the front line. 
• Improvement through investment. The DTR Package 1 Project will create a national centre of excellence for specialist training, through a programme of investment, rationalisation and modernisation.
• Partnership with industry. A PFI solution for Package 1 will allow us to give our service men and women the best living and learning environment that we can provide, whilst giving us the flexibility to manage future training requirements.
• A joint approach to trainng. Training will be delivered on a Defence rather than single service basis, better supporting the increasing move towards joint operational deployments.
• Maintaining Military ethos. We are committed to maintaining Military ethos which underpins effective training and operational capability.
• Caring for our people. We have a responsibility to continuously improve the quality of training and training facilities for our people, whilst ensuring that the transition to new arrangements is as seamless as possible for the staff and students affected.

No 22 (Training) Group's Role

The RAF No 22 (Training) Group is at the heart of this initiative as it will be taking the lead in the Package 1 technical training area: Aeronautical Engineering, Electro-mechanical Engineering and Computers and Information Systems. This represents a significant organisational challenge, which is being led by the Director of Joint Technical Training, Royal Navy Commodore Anthony King. The Director will move with his team to St Athan from Imjin Barracks (formerly RAF Innsworth) in Gloucestershire in late April 2009. On arrival, he will form a small Headquarters that will, in due course grow to be the Headquarters of the Defence Technical College and will be the first physical sign of the new College. The HQ will work closely with the Defence Training Establishments that currently deliver technical training and with Metrix who will be responsible for the delivery of training once the Project Agreement has been signed.