QinetiQ has been awarded an 18 month contract to continue supporting the Royal Navy’s Software Issuing Office (SIO) in the distribution of all software and electronic data to its fleet units across the globe.

The SIO is part of Navy Command’s Fleet Information Management Unit (FIMU). This provides mission and system critical geographic, encyclopaedic warfare reference data and electronic publications for Command, Control, Combat and Mission Support Systems across all of the fighting arms of the Royal Navy.

QinetiQ initially developed the information systems that underpin the effective operation of the SIO. This gave the Royal Navy the assurance that its ships, submarines and aircraft are receiving validated, assured and uncompromised digital data in the age of cyber and information warfare.

Using the QinetiQ information systems, over 4000 individual software and data products are reproduced, distributed and tracked by the SIO every month. This allows the SIO to know at any time what software has been issued to every ship, submarine or aircraft across the globe.

Lieutenant commander Hugh Blethyn, officer in Charge of FIMU, Navy Command, said: "The Fleet Information Management Unit has enjoyed a long and close working relationship with the team at QinetiQ.

"They deliver a comprehensive set of services that ensures the Software Issuing Office is able to provide a consistent and reliable service to the Royal Navy."

QinetiQ’s Marine Design Software unit deputy manager, Gareth Draper said: "We are very pleased to be continuing our long and fruitful relationship with the Royal Navy’s FIMU SIO.

"The development and maintenance of these critical information support systems is an excellent demonstration of the scope and quality of our bespoke software capabilities within QinetiQ."

QinetiQ’s Marine Design Software division has a highly knowledgeable and experienced team of software engineers skilled in database design and maintenance, web application and software development, using the latest tools.

In addition to providing bespoke software services, QinetiQ Marine Design Software also design and develop Paramarine ship and submersible software.