CAREER PURSUIT 2021

CAREER PURSUIT 26 Astra Innovation Fellowship – Twenty-three personnel are taking part in the Astra Fellowship programme with GovTech pioneers PUBLIC and are being placed on secondments with start-up tech companies. Virtual-Reality Training: Project VR HAWK − The aim is to support and complement Hawk T Mk 2 flying training through fast-jet virtual-reality simulation, so the trainees keep their feet on the ground. Virtual-Reality Training: VR Desk Top − A simulation of air combat flying, giving aircrew the ability to practise sorties ahead of a live flying exam. This virtual-reality technology reduces failures, flying hours on the aircraft, fuel, and is environmentally friendly. Executive Committee Shadow Board – Empowers junior personnel from across the RAF to offer their perspectives and inf luence the decisions made by the senior leadership team. Happy Service Homes: A number of reviews are currently ongoing withinDefence to review the current ‘improvements’ policy to promote greater pride in SFA, allowing families more flexibility to make home improvements. Each of Astra’s sprints is ground-breaking in its own right, so I was keen to hear more about what it is like being involved with one of these initiatives. Cpl Jake Dove shared his experience with me in a recent interview. Innovate. Code. Succeed. Whydoes theRAFneed itsownbespokemobiledevelopment team to be classed as an innovative organisation? Isn’t the RAF already doing this? These are just some of the initial thoughts that may spring to mind when you hear about Astra’s new mobile development team. Historically, the RAF has followed the commercial route when sourcing new software solutions − often preferring to buy ‘off the shelf ’ or commercially commission bespoke software...until now. Whilst working in networking support for the F35 at RAF Marham, Cpl Jake Dove heard about Astra and applied to be part of the Astra Appivate team. “The RAF identified that they did not have the capability to produce their own mobile applications,” Cpl Dove explains. “Astra enabled the creation of a small team of developers to harness modern technology and develop applications to allow the RAF to meet the demands of the present-day environment. I immediately applied for the role of developer. I assumed I wouldn’t get the job and it would go to a person with more experience. I am pleased that my assumption was wrong. I’m now in training to become a mobile app developer, something the RAF has never produced before. It certainly has its challenges. On a technical level, it’s a step above anything else I have done. I have to remind myself routinely that if making apps were easy, everybody would be doing it!” The ability to code in high-level programming language cannot solve the complex problems the RAF requires it to solve on its own. Without the right skills and processes, it can actually be quite time consuming and costly. However, when it is done right, it offers many unique benefits such as: