Description The MOD must procure equipment that is safe for the Armed Forces, delivers value for money, greater interoperability success and Allied operational effectiveness. Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S): DE&S manages complex projects that deliver equipment and support to the UK's Armed Forces. Projects range from submarines, warships, aircraft and missiles, through to armoured vehicles, utility trucks, body armour and field kitchens. DE&S provides specialist skills to support the programme e.g engineers, programme and project managers, logistics specialists, information specialists, commercial negotiators, financial controllers and safety experts; to ensure that the right equipment and support is available to Customers and users. Defence Standardization (DStan): Dstan determines Standardization Management Policy to direct Engineers to consider a hierarchy of standards in the decision making process that will ultimately inform equipment requirements. The aim of MOD policy is to ensure that, in addition to fitness for purpose and value for money, equipment solutions are designed using civil standards where possible and defence specific standards only where necessary. DStan manages and maintains the UK Defence Standards Portfolio comprising extant, obsolescent and cancelled defence specific standards. DStan's challenge is to rationalise the portfolio to match defence needs. One option to achieve this is to reconsider advances in technology and Industry markets to test the continued requirement for a defence specific standard. The MOD wishes to sponsor a number of student projects to explore the applicability of civilian standards to military applications. The project will be carried out in close collaboration with staff from DE&S, based in Glasgow. These projects would be especially suitable for students with ambitions to join the Armed Forces, but are equally applicable to students with a general interest in the military and/or standards and regulation. Key Objectives In consultation with the MOD sponsor, select a Defence Standard or Standards to review. Research similar civil standards published by national and international Standards Development Organisations e.g. BSI, ANSI, AFNOR, SAE. Conduct a gap analysis and produce a comparative assessment to determine which standard delivers best practice, tolerable risk and value for money for MOD. Assess market conditions to determine feasibility and acceptability of the best practice standard in both civil and defence applications. Recommend either replacing defence standard with a civil equivalent, adopting the defence standard as a civil standard or the continued use of the defence standard.