From 05. 10. to 07.10.2016, The Defence Standardization, Codification, Government Quality Assurance Authority, Trencin, organized NATO meeting of working group AC327/WG2 Life Cycle Management Group – working group 2 for quality. Meeting was held in Tatranské Zruby, Slovakia. Apart from other tasks the main aim of the meeting was to continue within the process of revision of Allied Quality Assurance Publications (AQAP), what is related to issuing of last revision of international standard ISO 9001:2015. The main subjects of the discussion were devoted mainly to:

• Progress in work in update on publications and the number of change proposals in AQAP 2105 Quality plan, AQAP 2110 implementation guidance, AQAP 2131, AQAP 2310.
• Annual GQA Report to main group – consideration how to develop report for next year.
• Use of AQAP – to gain an understanding of how nations use AQAPs in relation to their acquisition programmes.
• Review of GQA delegations – data from nations provided.

Meeting of the AC/327/WG2 on Quality, Warsaw, Poland

On 12th – 16th October 2015, the planned discussion of the AC/327/WG2 on quality took place in Poland. The Defense Standardization, Codification, and Government Quality Assurance Authority was represented by Ing. Anton KAPUSTA – director of the Government Quality Assurance Branch and Ing. Pavol LABÁK – chief of the Quality Supervision Section.

The main subjects of the discussion were:

• Evaluation of activities concerning the cooperation of the NATO countries according to the NATO STANAG 4107 standardization agreement and the NATO AQAP publication.
• Discussion of the action team towards the revision of the NATO AQAP 2110 alliance publication, in view of the issue of the amended ISO 9001:2015 norm. A final draft was drawn up at the meeting, which will be put forward to the main group for approval and silent procedure in 1/2016.
• The Slovak and Czech delegation presented to the working group the current state of resolution of issues regarding the possible revision of the NATO AQAP 2131 publication. The group approved the proposed plan with the revision planned for 2016.
• The Slovak and Czech delegation presented to the working group the current state of resolution of issues regarding the possible revision of the NATO AQAP 2131 publication. The group approved the proposed plan with the revision planned for 2016.

The Government Quality Assurance in the NATO AGS Core Project

In June 2015, Ing. Labák and Mgr. Černuška participated in the Facility Acceptance Test of the ground component for the NATO AGS Core project – the Mobile General Communication Component (MGCC). The acceptance tests were carried out on the premises of the subcontractor of the project - Konštrukta Defence, a.s. Dubnica nad Váhom. The NATO project, designated AGS Core is aimed at development, manufacture and supply of an air and ground integrated surveillance and monitoring of operation area system, to ensure effective command, control and intelligence survey – the C2ISR system. The government quality assurance for the aforementioned ground component MGCC is performed in accordance with the STANAG 4107 and AQAP 2070, based on the request for government quality assurance of the partner institution - Ausrüstung Informationstechnik und Nutzung der Bundeswehr (BAAINBw) Koblenz, Germany.

Working Discussion of the Visegrad Group Q4 Countries

On 15th – 18th June 2015, the planned meeting of the Q4 group on quality of the Visegrad Four took place. It was attended by the director of the Defense Standardization, Codification, and Government Quality Assurance Authority Ing. Emil KOŠÚT, director of the Government Quality Assurance Branch, Ing. Anton KAPUSTA, chief of the Quality Supervision Section Ing. Pavol LABÁK and chief of the Quality Audit Section Ing. Juraj DOSKOČIL.

Among the main subjects on the agenda were:

• State of the revision of NATO AQAP publications based on the amendment of the ISO 9001:2015 norm. The representatives of the countries discussed the approach of Visegrad countries in the process of revision of the NATO publications and agreed on a unified and coordinated approach of the countries in the future.
• Current state and tasks concerning the process of the mutual government quality assurance among the Visegrad Four in 2015, with evaluation of the cooperation in 2014. In 2014, the Slovak Republic secured the government quality assurance for the Czech Republic in 16 cases, for Poland in 2 cases. Hungary requested no government quality assurance in 2014.
• Matter of the certification system for the product and services supply quality assurance for the defence purposes according the Alliance publications (NATO AQAP). The countries established that the activity is a part of the national process of the government quality assurance and thus falls within the scope of the relevant national authorities, as listed in the Alliance standardization agreement (NATO STANAG 4107). Moreover, the countries established that it is not acceptable to perform this service commercially, and this kind of activity is not accepted by the national authorities. The countries agreed that if detected, they will take action in order to stop these activities.
• The Slovak Republic presented a system of statistical acceptance used in the process of the government quality assurance in the field of mass production.

The representatives of Visegrad countries agreed to coordinate their activities in approving the proposals for revision and changes to the Alliance publications in the field of mutual government quality assurance and certification of the management system for the product and services supply quality assurance for the defence purposes according to the Alliance publications (NATO AQAP).

Working Discussion of the NATO AC 327/WG2 on Quality

On 18th – 22nd May, the planned meeting of NATO AC 327/WG2 on quality took place in Koblenz, Germany.

The main points on the agenda were:

• State of the revision of the AQAP contractual publications based on the amended ISO 9001 norm. Should the issue of the final version of the FDIS 9001:2015 norm be on schedule, the new AQAP 2110 publication would most likely be issued in January 2016. The WG2 established that after the issue of revised AQAP 2110 publication based on the new ISO 9001:2015 norm, the currently valid AQAP 2110, 2120, 2130 publications have to be preserved throughout a transitional period.
• Revision of the AQAP 2070 publication. The final document was formatted according to the AAP-3(J) Alliance publication and will be presented to the AC 327 main group for approval and silent procedure in June 2015.
• Findings of the states about the certification of the quality management systems according to the AQAP publications by corporate entities. The group expressed a unanimous disapproval with the use of the AQAP publications for certification by corporate companies and established that these commercial certificates are not accepted by the relevant national quality assurance authorities. At the same time, the group is considering steps to prevent this activity on the national and international level.
• Promotional materials about the AC 327/WG2. Germany and France presented a draft of theses for the materials. The representatives of the Slovak Republic presented a comprehensive design of the promotional materials that included the German and French theses as well as Slovak complements. The proposal was met with positive reactions. The group tasked Germany, France and Slovakia with drawing up the final draft and presenting it at the autumn meeting.
• Next discussion of the NATO AC 327/WG2 on quality will take place in October 2015 in Poland

MEETING OF WORKING GROUP FOR QUALITY AC 327/WG2 .

The planned meeting of NATO group AC 327/WG for Mutual Government Quality Assurance took place on 11th and 12th february 2015 at the NATO HQ in Brussels . Mr. Anton KAPUSTA, director of Government Quality Assurance Department, participated as nominated representative of Slovak republic at this group. Working group discussed especially these topics:

• Revision of contractual publications AQAP is based on revision of international standard ISO 9001:2015. The silent procedure in the WG2 group concerning to the study draft of publication AQAP 2110 was not interrupted. The Main group approved new activity for year 2015 designated as AS2015:002. Purpose of this new activity is to incorporate possible modifications following release of FDIS 9001:2015 with prediction of new release of AQAP 2110 publication in January 2016. Mentioned publication should be published as AQAP 3110 and will replace the publications AQAP 2110, 2120 and 2130.

• Revision of publication AQAP 160. The WG2 taken cognizance of analysis of the present status that was presented by the document administrator. The Group has decided to perform revision of mentioned publication after accomplishing of revision AQAP 2110 publication in relation to limited resources in 2016.

• Status of approval process of the Memorandum of Understanding in the area of bilateral quality verification with the United States. Process is in its final stage. The Memorandum approval is expected to July 2016.

Next meeting of NATO AC 327/WG2 Group for quality will take place in Germany in May 2015.

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE PERFORMED FOR NATO COUNTRIES AND NATO`S AGENCIES IN 2014

In according to standardization agreement NATO STANAG 4107 and on the basis of an official requests from NATO countries (Czech republic, Poland, Germany) and also request from NATO`s agency NSPA Luxembourg, Government Quality Assurance Representatives performed in 2014 quality assurance activities on contractual products especially in following delivered products and services:

1. Within the framework NATO-AGS Core development, production, delivery of integrated airborne and ground-based tracking system.
2. In solving problems of equipment and modifications of LAND ROVER DEFENDER vehicles.
3. In acquisition of purchasing military transportation airplane C27J SPARTAN.
4. In production and delivery of flight simulator for Mi-29.
5. In delivery of field uniforms for Army of the Czech Republic.
6. In delivery of springs for personal weapons for Army of the Czech Republic.

In 2014 there were fulfilled totally 30 requests of NATO countries and NATO NSPA Luxembourg Agency which resulted in 75 issued Certificates of Conformity (CoC).

GOVERNMENT QUALITY ASSURANCE PERFORMED FOR STATE ADMINISTRATION AND REGIONAL ADMINISTRATION IN SLOVAK REPUBLIC IN 2014

In 2014 Government Quality Assurance Representatives performed government quality assurance activities on products and services for defence purposes in a provision for state administration and regional administration in Slovakia, especially in the following supplied products and services:

1. To ensure general overhaul of airborne mechanics.
2. In acquisition of purchasing military transportation airplane C27J SPARTAN.
3. In delivery of all - terrain vehicle TATRA 815 4x4 and TATRA 815 single hook container carrier.
4. In delivery of attack machinegun, personal weapons and grenade launcher.
5. In delivery of infantry mortars, grain of shots and dummy cartridge.
6. In delivery of uniforms and staff for personal purposes.
7. In delivery of special shoes.

In 2014 there were fulfilled totally 24 requests from state and regional administration of the Slovak republic which resulted in issue of 53 Certificates of Conformity (CoC).

THE VISEGRAD GROUP Q4 WORKING MEETING.

Between 14th and 16th of October 2014 a planned meeting of Q4 Group (Group for quality of the Visegrad countries) took place in Budapest (Hungary) together with TRISTAND Group. In the meeting of the multilateral government quality assurance process were discussed these topics:

• Revision of allied NATO publications AQAP based on continuing revision of regulation ISO 9000:2015 that has direct impact on the published allied publications. Representatives of V4 countries discussed their attitude to revision of AQAP regulations and arranged consistent actions in the following period.

• Present task regarding process of multilateral government quality assurance between V4 countries.

Representatives of V4 countries made agreement they were going to coordinate their action in proposals and acceptation of suggestions to revise and change allied NATO publications in area of GQA.

MEETING OF WORKING GROUP AC 327/WG2 FOR QUALITY.

Between 8th and 10th October 2014 a planned meeting of NATO AC 327/WG2 Quality Group took place in Vilnius in Lithuania. Ing. Anton Kapusta, Director of GQA, took part at this working meeting. At this meeting were discussed especially these topics:

• Revision of allied NATO publications AQAP. Working group discussed proposals of states to revise publication AQAP 2110. Result of this group is Study Draft which will be progressed to states for revision in December 2014. Assumed date of revised issue AQAP 2110 is January 2016.

• Revision of allied NATO publication AQAP 2070. Working Group WG2 discussed final version this publication. Revised publication AQAP 2070 third issue will be set forward to silent procedure via AC 327 Group in December 2014. The next meeting of NATO AC 327/WG2 Group for Quality will take place in February 2015 in Brussels in Belgium.

INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC-TECHNICAL CONFERENCE IN ZAKOPANE, POLAND.

Between 17th and 20th November 2014 took place 12th International Scientific-technical Conference in Zakopane, Poland, named Standardization, Codification and Government Quality Assurance within integration to NATO and EU. Main theme of this conference was Government Quality Assurance Process applicable in NATO countries according to standardization agreement STANAG 4107. Bureau presented theme “Application of statistical inspection in process of GQA of supplement of mass production in focus of explosives and ammunition”. Representatives of the Polish Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic were discussed present examples of reciprocal government quality assurance according to standardization agreement STANAG 4107. Together with representatives of the Ministry of Defence of Czech Republic was discussed supplementation of machine gun 5.56 mm CZ 805 BREN A1 including accessory, hand gun CZ 75 P09 with accessory and grenade launcher with accessory and process of verification of these weapons at manufacturer in the Czech Republic.

Späť