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Seaward Electronic strengthens commitment to UK defence sector with JOSCAR accreditation renewal
lectrical test and measurement company Seaward Electronic has renewed a highly acclaimed accreditation, recognising it as a respected and trusted supplier to the UK defence industry. Seaward Electronic has renewed the renowned Joint Supply Chain Accreditation Register (JOSCAR) registration in a move that reaffirms the company and its products and services as MOD compliant, enabling it to supply and trade with major defence companies and organisations throughout the UK.
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Cisco and Nu Quantum to build ‘world-first’ quantum data centre
he UK Government has awarded Cisco and quantum networking start-up, Nu Quantum, a £2.3 million contract to deliver a ‘world-first’ quantum data centre prototype.
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The Cambridge-based Nu Quantum said the new LYRA data centre project will deliver 19-inch rack-mount modules for control-plane and optical interfacing.
The modular architecture of the quantum data centre will facilitate in-field upgrades, allowing users to make modifications without requiring extensive reconfiguration or system replacement. This architecture also supports various quantum computer modalities and alternative wavelengths, enhancing its adaptability to evolving quantum computing technologies.
The solution incorporates a new high-precision timing architecture and digital control bus, allowing the system to scale to support a large cluster of quantum-compute nodes. This scalability is necessary for handling complex computational tasks and expanding the capabilities of the quantum computing infrastructure. Peter Shearman, head of co- innovation at Cisco UK & Ireland, said he was excited to ‘accelerate the journey towards a modular qubit-agnostic and data centre- optimised future’. “The potential of quantum computing is extremely exciting. However, it is increasingly accepted that to reach its potential quantum networking will be needed to scale quantum computing to a fault tolerant era,” said Mr Shearman.
Securing a place on the JOSCAR register – a central list of approved suppliers used by BAE systems, Rolls Royce, Airbus and NATS (National Air Traffic Services) among other leading defence contractors – is by invite only and requires the successful completion of a rigorous qualification process requiring a proven commitment to quality.
Achieving the accreditation re-affirms the Seaward brands, including Rigel Medical and Calibrationhouse, place as part of an exclusive group of products and services in the UK defence supply chain, which have been chosen by some of the UK’s most established defence organisations. Andrew Simpson, Calibrationhouse manager, said JOSCAR is highly regarded, enabling the company to develop further work in the defence sector as it continues to expand its operations. He said: “JOSCAR is a prestigious accreditation with demanding requirements. Renewing our accreditation demonstrates that the quality of our products and services continue to be of the highest standard, meeting the requirements of highly regulated industries. “Many of the organisations that we are able to work with in the UK defence supply chain have strict requirements, so achieving this renewal provides the reassurance that we have the experience, technical expertise and credentials to deliver major projects.”
he Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) has urged policymakers to rethink their approach to electrical skills development. Speaking at the Westminster Employment Forum, ECA chief operating officer Andrew Eldred warned ministers that individuals undertaking net zero electrical installations without the proper skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours are not competent, and potentially unsafe.
Mr Eldred was joined at the event, titled Next steps for Local Skills Improvement Plans and regional skills in England, by speakers including Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester; Parminder Kohli, Commissioner, Social Mobility
electricalengieneeringmagazine.co.uk
ECA urges Westminster to focus on local skills improvement or face skilled electrician shortfall T
Commission; Mark Hilton, Policy Delivery Director, BusinessLDN; and Suzanne Caldwell, chief executive, Cumbria Chamber of Commerce.
The forum focused on next steps for devolved skills policy and Local Skills Improvement Plans (LSIPs) in England, following the launch of the Local Skills Improvement Fund (LSIF). Mr Eldred said: “The shortage of qualified electricians in England, intensified by a broken skills pipeline, poses a serious but solvable challenge to achieving national, regional and local net zero targets. “ECA urges policymakers, industry leaders and educators to endorse our Recharging Electrical Skills Charter to build a competent electrotechnical workforce which can deliver the essential expansion of net zero technologies, including solar PV, battery storage and electric vehicle charge points.”
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING • FEBRUARY 2024 5
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