Defence Lines of Development

The Defence Lines of Development (DLoDs) utilised by the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) are described below:

Training

The provision of the means to practise, develop and validate, within constraints, the practical application of a common military doctrine to deliver a military capability.

Equipment

The provision of military platforms, systems and weapons, expendable and non-expendable (including updates to legacy systems), needed to outfit/equip an individual, group or organisation.

Personnel

The timely provision of sufficient, capable and motivated personnel to deliver Defence outputs, both now and in the future.

Information

The provision of a coherent development of data, information and knowledge requirements for capabilities and all processes designed to gather and handle data, information and knowledge. Data is defined as raw facts, without inherent meaning, used by humans and systems. Information is defined as data placed in context. Knowledge is Information applied to a particular situation.

Concepts and Doctrine

A Concept is an expression of the capabilities that are likely to be used to accomplish an activity in the future. Doctrine is an expression of the principles by which military forces guide their actions and is a codification of how activity is conducted today. It is authoritative, but requires judgement in application.

Organisation

Relates to the operational and non-operational organisational relationships of people. It typically includes military force structures, MOD civilian organisational structures and Defence contractors providing support.

Infrastructure

The acquisition, development, management and disposal of all fixed, permanent buildings and structures, land, utilities and facility management services (both Hard & Soft Facility Management) in support of Defence capabilities. It includes estate development and structures that support military and civilian personnel.

Logistics

The science of planning and carrying out the operational movement and maintenance of forces. In its most comprehensive sense, it relates to the aspects of military operations which deal with; the design and development, acquisition, storage, transport, distribution, maintenance, evacuation and disposition of materiel; the transport of personnel; the acquisition, construction, maintenance, operation, and disposition of facilities; the acquisition or furnishing of services, medical and health service support.

In addition to the DLoDs, Interoperability is included as an overarching theme that must be considered when any DLoD is being addressed:

Interoperability

The ability of UK Forces and, when appropriate, forces of partner and other nations, to train, exercise and operate effectively together in the execution of assigned missions and tasks. In the context of DLoDs, Interoperability also covers interaction between Services, UK Defence capabilities, Other Government Departments and the civil aspects of interoperability, including compatibility with Civil Regulations. Interoperability is used in the literal sense and is not a compromise lying somewhere between integration and deconfliction.