A talented Electronic Technician has been awarded the Herbert Lott Innovation and Invention Award for pioneering a ground-breaking mapping system on board HMS Queen Elizabeth.
ET WE Daniel Gibbs received the award after creating an advanced network monitoring and defect identification capability which allows Network Group and duty weapon engineers to identify real-time issues with the Internal Network Electronic Infrastructure.
Created in 1930, the Herbert Lott Naval Trust Fund was established in order to recognise those in the Naval Service who have significantly improved the way in which the Naval and Royal Marines forces operate.
Now administered by the RNRMC, the funding of the award is distributed throughout the year to outstanding members of the Fleet.
The enhancement made to HMS Queen Elizabeth will enable the UK’s largest warship to better monitor the Network Management System (NMS), which controls more than 900 network devices aboard the ship.
In using his initiative to build a simple user interface for the NMS, ET Gibbs created a system that will rapidly identify network issues and improve the functionality of the carrier.
Senior Weapons Engineer Lieutenant Commander Simon Blois said, “ET Gibbs thoroughly deserves his Herbert Lott award. His enduring contribution towards HMS Queen Elizabeth and the establishment of a user-friendly way of monitoring the network infrastructure is entirely unique.
“He stands out as an excellent example to all our engineering technicians within the ship and the Royal Navy.”
Chief Petty Officer Matt Whitehead, the Networks Group Head, was equally effusive, saying, “ET Gibbs has created a vital tool that will be utilised across both the Queen Elizabeth-class carriers, ensuring a lasting legacy which will endure.”
Over the last ten years, the RNRMC has allocated the award’s prize money to a number of adept Service people.
Past winners of the Herbert Lott award have been recognised for a number of achievements, including the compilation of HMS Dragon’s Duty Watch roster, a Personnel Management Information Exploitation Project and the creation of a three-fold leaflet that increased the aviation community’s awareness to flight safety at Plymouth.
ET Daniel Gibbs said, “I am proud to have been able to work on the Navy’s most advanced warship during her build phase and make a lasting contribution to the nation’s flag ship.”
“Contributing by making use of my IT skills, while working alongside industry partners and balancing my day to day commitments as a WE has been a difficult but an extremely rewarding challenge.”
To nominate a member of the Naval Service for the Herbert Lott Award, contact [email protected].
