QinetiQ secures £15m to enhance Thundercloud system

QinetiQ has been awarded a £15 million contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to manage, maintain, and update the classified military data management system, Thundercloud, according to a press release.

The contract aims to ensure the continued provision of critical meteorological and oceanographic data to military operations across land, sea, and air domains.

Thundercloud, originally developed in the 1980s by the Defence Evaluation and Research Agency (DERA) and managed by QinetiQ since 2001, collates, analyses, and distributes environmental data at all security classifications through a secure network. This system provides shared situational awareness for military teams, offering a significant advantage in various operational contexts.

The data delivered by Thundercloud enables naval, air force, and land-based teams to exploit environmental conditions or mitigate their impacts on operations. This comprehensive geospatial information is crucial for maintaining a strategic edge in diverse military scenarios.

Commander Nick Davies from the Joint Operational Meteorology and Oceanography Centre (JOMOC) expressed satisfaction with the contract’s continuation.

“We are very pleased to award this ongoing contract to the QinetiQ team who have ably supported us for 24 years already, working collaboratively with us on what’s needed to deliver this key capability now and for the future,” he said in the press release.

“QinetiQ has worked as a partner to us to get the best from the system in the past, frequently going above and beyond to give us a reliable, best of breed solution and I’m looking forward to continuing that over the next two years.”

QinetiQ’s latest contract win, say the company, also highlights its commitment to partnering with small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Hampshire-based technical managed services company, Thorn LTD, will play a key role in providing engineering support, along with other SMEs offering specialised technical expertise.

James Willis, Chief Executive of UK Intelligence at QinetiQ, underscored the importance of the project. “QinetiQ is proud to apply its expertise in cyber, data, and electromagnetics to ensure this critical capability continues to provide its vital service to our military forces around the world,” he said in the press release.

This contract extension ensures that Thundercloud will continue to support military operations with cutting-edge data management capabilities, maintaining its status as a vital component of the UK’s defence infrastructure.

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