Emerging Importance of ISO 9001 in Defence Supply Chain

Over the last couple of years, the Australian defence industry has been focusing on increasing their capabilities. It is a great move for supporting the Australian defence industry and the businesses associated with the industry on one way or other. Whenever it comes to the defence industry, certain things may pop up in your mind, such as Future Submarine Program (SEA 1000), Air Warfare Destroyers (AWDs), Future Frigates, and many other similar things. The SEA 1000 is going to be the largest defence department program in Australia. This is no doubt a great sign of capability, and construction. The next generation will be able to receive assistance from this program. It has been revealed that the country has already spent $50 billion in the military sector.

However, all of these latest defence projects are implying that Australia will be progressing towards the 12th place globally for defence spending. A question may become relevant to this context- what are the standards that enable the defence organisations to establish their compliance with the best practices? Well, ISO 9001 and AS 9100 are two global standards that let the organisations demonstrate their best practices. In this article, we are going to focus on the ISO Quality Management Standard. We will discuss how this particular standard can enrich the defence industry and how to implement the standard in the military sector.

How does the Standard Benefit Defence Industry?

It is imperative to understand that the defence platforms are a unique combination of resources and technology developed for fighting off a threat or availing support in critical situations. If a component fails to meet any stringent specifications that have been tested several times, there are chances of losing its intended benefits. To simplify the entire concept, let’s look at an instance. We know about the SEA 1000 Future Submarine Programs, right? The new submarines used for this program will be made of almost 1 million components. Now, it is obvious that these components will be supplied by different suppliers. The authority must ensure that each of these components conforms to all the relevant standards and inspections. ISO Quality Management Standard is required to ensure the quality and efficiency of the components.

While choosing the suppliers, the department must ensure that the suppliers are ISO Quality Management certified and each of the suppliers has an effective Quality Management System in place.

Apart from this, there are many reasons the military sector requires this ISO standard. A defence set up should ensure that each of the equipment they are producing is of high quality. Quality assurance ensures high quality and high-quality equipment strengthens the security system.

Implementation of the Standard in Military Industry

When it comes to implementation of an international standard, like ISO Quality Assurance Standard, it is important to take into consideration certain aspects. Let’s check them out:

Vendor Selection and Approval Criteria (8.4.1)

ISO accredited Quality Management System should apply criteria for assessment, vendor selection, reviewing, and re-evaluation of external vendors.

Extent of Control of External Providers (8.4.2)

It is imperative to take into account the potential impact of the selected vendors on the military organisations. Moreover, the efficiency of the controls applied by the vendors should also be determined.

Preservation (8.5.4)

The suppliers of the military products or equipment should preserve outputs (here, outputs refer to the outcomes of the purchasing or procurement process). It will help the agency ensure the compliance with the ISO 9001 standard.

A Final Takeaway

Using ISO Quality Assurance Certification can avail an opportunity of bringing the focus on the supply chain between the vendors and the beginning of an organisation’s own manufacturing journey. Investing in ISO certification pays off a very good return on investment. It is true that ISO certification is followed by a lengthy process and it requires a fair amount of investment. However, the benefits of the standard outweigh everything. Gaining this certification ensures the defence sector that they are associated with a consistent and quality product provider. Such achievement implies that an investment has been converted into the growth and development of the investor. When it comes to the defence sector, achieving this certification also refers to the investment into safety issues that can make our lives safer.