Rapid’s Head Office located at Brindabella Business Park, Canberra International Airport.

The Rapid Prototyping, Development and Evaluation (Rapid) Program is a collaborative venture between the Australian Department of Defence and Industry that seeks to improve Defence’s warfighting capability, particularly in relation to network-centric warfare.

Via a Rapid Task, Industry and Defence work together to develop prototyped conceptual solutions, principally through incremental enhancement of existing capability and evaluating options in Defence to fill capability gaps. 2007 is the year of delivery for the Rapid program as they look to help facilitate the transition of these solutions to the Defence environment.

Alternatively, Defence can consult Industry via a Quicklook, which rapidly brings industry specialists together to workshop a problem or series of issues confronting Defence. This is usually performed by clarifying Defence’s ‘problem’ and then bringing together Industry experts in the problem space for a 1-2 day workshop. Rapid then writes a short report, capturing the knowledge of those experts and thereby providing informed information back to Defence. One of DMO’s Systems Program Offices (SPO) recently used this service to resolve a technical issue that was hampering progress on a project. The SPO benefited in that the Quicklook

• Highlighted any shortcomings associated with the technical solution;
• Suggested improvements to the conceptual design;
• Highlighted any possible alternatives; and
• Provided realistic advice on the performance characteristics to be expected of the design during peak-time operational demand.

Rapid has reached a level of maturity where it can now promote its services to the wider Australian Defence Force. SPOs and Industry supporting SPOs can expect to benefit from this wider pursuit of inputs to the program.

There are now 142 participants in Rapid, including major Defence primes, small to medium enterprises and academia. The Industry participants have niche skills that enable Rapid to provide quick and informed advice to Defence on any future capability options.

Mrs Pam Price, General Manager of Rapid, advised that the program is an excellent way for companies who are not already involved in defence to build an industry base through Rapid. Another benefit that Industry has discovered is realised at the conclusion of a Task whereby the useful knowledge that their employees have gained is brought back to the company so they comprehend better how defence works.

Whilst at Rapid, individual participants work in a collaborative team whilst quickly achieving tangible capability enhancements for our sailors, soldiers, airmen and airwomen so they can better achieve their mission. Through their involvement, the program enables Industry access to the Capability Development space in a collaborative, non-competitive environment, and offers the opportunity to develop effective relationships with key defence personnel. The program also allows Industry and Defence access to shared intellectual property that is mutually beneficial.

The key criterion to joining is that an organisation must ably demonstrate they invest in Research & Development effort in Australia. Rapid is not Canberra centric, despite their Head Office being located there. Participant companies are funded for their contributions to Rapid in accordance with a Standing Offer. Rates are the same for all participant companies.

Should you be interested in finding out more information about the Rapid Program, or becoming a participant, please contact Boris Novak, Stakeholder Liaison Manager, on 0407 984 402, or boris.novak@rpde.org.au.