Demystifying Defence
How H4MOD Delivers Capability to the Defence Ecosystem
By Wg Cdr Chris Shone, Chinook Capability Sustainment Programme Delivery Team
A New Way to Work with Academia
The H4MOD Programme offers unparalleled strategic value by bringing together academia, industry, and government to solve complex defence challenges in an innovative and structured way. In the course, internal problems are sourced from Defence and then paired up with university student teams who work to solve them in 10 weeks as a form of innovation sprint. Having engaged with the programme as both a participant and a Defence Advisor, I can confidently say that H4MOD has fundamentally changed how we approach problem solving in defence.
In my experience, academia brings a different thought process than defence does. Defence professionals are trained in a specific way, progressing through their careers with a particular mindset, whereas academia introduces fresh perspectives and challenges existing approaches. Working with the H4MOD course refreshes your memory about what life is like outside of the military and it brings different thoughts and concepts to what you're trying to do. I cannot underscore enough the value of external collaboration in fostering innovation.
The Importance of Problem Validation
A core strength of the programme lies in its focus on problem validation, ensuring efforts are directed at addressing the real issues rather than symptoms. I always ask my team, "What problem are we trying to solve?" noting that many answers tend to jump into solution mode without fully exploring the root cause. In one example, a team working on rewriting the RAF’s Leadership doctrine initially focussed on new leadership theories, but through H4MOD’s methodology, they realise the real issue was with the context of application. The problem was not with the doctrine. It’s with how it is applied in the modern world of working from home and a changing culture, which highlighted the programme’s ability to uncover overlooked challenges that need to be addressed first.
Expanding Internal and External Networks
Beyond problem identification, H4MOD facilitates collaboration between different stakeholders to create cohesive strategies. When I worked on my own H4MOD problem as part of my MSc in Defence Innovation, we were given a 3D printing challenge that equated to ‘a better way to 3D print aboard ships’. Through my team’s research we observed that all three services and Strategic Command were throwing millions at 3D printing, but no coherent approach was being taken. The programme helped bridge the gaps by establishing a community of interest website, enabling stakeholders across different services to collaborate and share knowledge effectively.
The programme also delivers significant networking benefits. I've supported on various different problem statements from medical to flooding to climate change, and have made a point to connect students with key industry professionals, such as the Head of Sustainability for Boeing in the Middle East and Asia. To me, the intangible benefit of the programme works both ways -the students get introduced to military people and industry contacts, and equally, I get to meet professionals I wouldn't have encountered otherwise. This reinforces the programme's long-term relationship-building advantages, which will serve me within and external to my role in Defence.
A Capability for Now – and Tomorrow
To conclude, the H4MOD programme creates a huge amount of value as Defence tries to tackle the critical problems of tomorrow, highlighting the importance of leveraging external expertise to stay ahead of evolving challenges. With its ability to challenge assumptions, foster collaboration, and deliver validated solutions, H4MOD stands as a critical enabler for strategic defence innovation, empowering defence professionals to tackle complex problems with clarity and confidence.
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