Defence

Defence Science and Technology Organisation

Supporting strategy and capability

By Tim McKenna

Tim McKenna

Most scientists in the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) are based in either Adelaide or Melbourne. They are involved in research to improve Defence's ships, aircraft, ground vehicles, weapons and electronic equipment, and to assist the Services to use the equipment more effectively. But in Canberra there is also a small team of scientists who work closely with staff in the Strategy Group and the Capability Development Group (CDG). Together they are developing the future Australian Defence Force (ADF) in accordance with the Chief of the Defence Force's vision of a balanced, networked and deployable force, excelling at joint, inter-agency and coalition operations. This team forms part of the Defence Systems Analysis Division (DSAD). The division also has staff undertaking supporting research in the major DSTO sites of Adelaide and Melbourne.

Working closely with our military and Defence civilian colleagues, DSAD brings scientific knowledge and skills, together with mathematical tools, to assist Defence answer three of the hardest questions that we have to face:

• How does Defence design its future force to conduct the most effective joint, inter-agency and coalition operations?
• How does Defence then build the best balanced and deployable future force through the projects of the Defence Capability Plan (DCP)?
• How does Defence ensure that these projects are efficiently integrated so that the future networked force delivers the best joint effect?

DSAD cannot always provide the best advice on its own. The technology and operations divisions of DSTO have a depth of Defence knowledge in more specialist areas, vital to answer many of the joint questions put to us by our clients. So how then does DSAD, often in conjunction with other DSTO divisions, answer the questions listed above?

Designing the force for future joint operations

Designing the future joint force is difficult because the future is inherently uncertain. For Defence planners the uncertainty is increased by the long lead times required for the development of many capabilities and by Australia's current strategic uncertainties. But DSAD helps in a number of ways.

Firstly we advise on future technologies. Advances in technology are key drivers for future military operations. In particular, some technologies could be quite disruptive, causing fundamental changes to ADF operations. DSAD, with other divisions of DSTO, is studying a range of these technologies, including biotechnology, nanotechnology, quantum effects, smart materials and robotics. These studies give Defence policymakers insights into future capabilities that could be used by the ADF, our allies or our adversaries.

Secondly we use a form of wargaming, which we scientists call experimentation, to work with subject matter experts to examine new operational concepts and capability options. A recent example was the conduct of a Multinational Experiment (MNE) in conjunction with the United States and six other countries. The experiment examined concepts for multinational, interagency operations and has informed Australian thinking and training on this increasingly relevant subject.

But our core skill for scientific support to Defence policy and capability decision-makers is operations research. In essence this method involves working closely with the experts to define the essential features of a problem. The scientists then use a range of mathematical models and analytical techniques to test various solution options. A recent example was the Lift Study, which quantified the ADF's needs for amphibious shipping and heavy airlift in projects now approved by the Government. As well DSAD has undertaken a number of more rapid studies that have informed options for the DCP—the program of projects through which Defence builds the future force.

Building a balanced, deployable force

The first stage in the development of any project is its preparation for approval by government—the responsibility of CDG. For many years DSTO divisions have provided a wide range of support to capability development with technical advice on the hardware and software of the possible equipment solutions; analytical support on concepts, structures and capability mixes; and support on simulation, training and logistics. Recent procurement reforms have increased this support and included an additional task of providing a technical risk assessment to the Government. To coordinate this additional effort, DSAD staff work with the other DSTO divisions throughout this pre-approval phase to provide the most effective science and technology (S&T) support to each project.

After government approval, DSTO divisions support the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) to deliver an effective project capability. DSAD provides a scientific advice and coordination function, led by the Chief Scientific Advisor DMO. His team assists DMO with S&T requirements, ensuring that these requirements are addressed in project S&T plans and reports to DMO on DSTO's performance.

Integrating the networked force

A project approach is the most practical method of achieving substantial capability improvement for the ADF. However, Defence is sufficiently complex that the interdependencies between projects are often as important as the projects themselves.

Determining which interdependencies are important requires an understanding of the relatively new science of complex systems. DSAD has a team of force-level systems engineers, organisational psychologists and Defence systems analysts, who assist Defence staff unravel some of these mysteries. A recent example was a study of the land, maritime, air and information projects contributing to an amphibious task group. While at the project level, DSAD's systems engineers are supporting the Joint Strike Force and Air 7000 projects to assess the information interoperability issues in connecting these capabilities to the wider ADF and coalition partners.

But the most important integrating mechanism for ADF development is the recently issued Network Centric Warfare (NCW) Roadmap. DSTO has responded to this priority for Defence by establishing a multi-division NCW S&T Initiative. DSAD is providing significant support to this initiative. Our organisational psychology team has worked on the human dimension of NCW for several years, conducting extensive interviews with ADF personnel returning from operations. This work has contributed significantly to the human dimension section of the NCW Roadmap. Our systems analysts have provided the new NCW Program Office with methodologies for assessing projects prior to their approval, to ensure they contribute most effectively to Defence's NCW capability.

The future

On 1 July this year DSTO will make an important change in its organisational structure by giving Dr Nanda Nandagopal the role of sustaining and improving DSTO's delivery to all Defence clients. From that date DSAD will work for Dr Nandagopal, assisting him with S&T support from strategic guidance, through capability planning, to project delivery.

In designing the future force, DSAD will improve our advice on future disruptive technologies through a cooperative program with the United States. We also want to increase the use of joint experimentation. In addition, DSAD is establishing six new positions in Canberra to increase our analytical support to CDG.

In building the future force through projects, a priority for DSAD will continue to be assisting CDG and DMO to implement the DCP. The new DSTO organisational arrangements will assist here, establishing separate research programs support to CDG and DMO, on a par with that currently available to our Service clients.

To contribute to better force integration, DSAD hopes to extend our successful support for air projects to the maritime domain. We will continue to work with DSTO's NCW S&T Initiative in the human, technology and organisational aspects of this complex challenge for the ADF.

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