Multiple VCDS Commendation Awards for Dstl

Dstl has been recognised as being at the centre of the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, with both a team award and an individual award to the scientist who established and led the coordination of all Dstl’s COVID-19 pandemic scientific support to MOD and wider government.

The Dstl modelling support team worked tirelessly to develop and deploy the methodology and visualizations endorsed by SPI-M (Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling) to inform decision makers and the public on the status of the epidemic. The team’s skill, hard work and dedication informs almost all of the key decisions for the COVID mitigation strategies.

The Dstl EO Threat Evaluation team assess the threat of electro-optic (EO), i.e. heat-seeking, missiles to UK aircraft. This award recognises the specialists in the team who have built a novel threat simulator. Their innovation significantly reduces the time and cost required to develop countermeasures, used to protect UK and allied aircrew.

Dstl’s Forensic Explosive Laboratory (FEL) teams from the Energetics Analysis Group deliver an outstanding and absolutely critical capability contribution to the investigation of explosive materials, ensuring continual support to the highest profile cases during the pandemic.

Final recognition was for Dstl’s Force Structure Analysis Team for support to the Integrated Review and Defence Command Paper to ensure evidence-based balance of investment decisions.

Doug Umbers, Dstl Interim Chief Executive, said:

As the science inside UK defence and security our staff keep the UK and its people safe from harm. I am delighted that our specialist expertise has been recognised and offer my warmest congratulations and thanks to our award winners. Their work and that of all of our colleagues is deeply appreciated.