Agreed Alfred. The posts were gradually 'militarised' from 1990. I think you're RN - the last civilian postholder left DGA(N) HQ in 1993. He'd been on the radar/sonics desk. Today the nearest equivalent is Requirements Manager, but even then not very close. The Board Submissions I spoke of were the final ones - approval triggered the requisition to MoD(PE). The programme clock ran, and any change after that would force delay. The decision on what to ask for had been made by OR (but not quantified) - the author had to be able to articulate it in whatever detail the screening meetings required, and prepare alternatives, etc. There'd be lots of interim staffing that didn't constitute the formal Service requirement. The 1st level I mentioned was that which decides there's going to be a Navy, Army and Air Force, and what is expected of them. Out of that discussion flows the myriad of 'what if' questions us mere mortals have to answer, when you hope the right person is asked!