THE 5TH CSIR CONFERENCE

Technology-Based Acquisition Strategies

M. ZONDI CHIEF DEFENCE MATERIEL

DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE, RSA

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Scope

• Introduction • Future Battlespace• The Challenge• Repositioning for Future• Future TD Process• Enablers• Conclusion

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Introduction

Based on a paper titled:

“Technology-Based Acquisition Strategies for the Future Defence Force”

Spectrum of Conflict

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OPERATIONS OTHER THAN WARWARFIGHTINGSAR

Disaster Relief

Evacuation of RSA Citizens from Conflict Areas

COMBATANT OPERATIONS

Humanitarian Assistance

Collective Defence

Peace Support Operations (chapter 6)

RSA Border Safeguarding

Defence of RSA Sovereignty

PEACE

Supporting SAPS

Peace Keeping Operations (Chapter 7)

NON-COMBATANT OPERATIONS

CONFLICT WAR

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Introduction

CHANGES IN TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Historical Modern

Long life-cycles Shorter life-cycles

Driven by rich militaries Driven by the commercial industry

Costly programs Relatively cheaper programs

Resource intensive Less resources required

Lower consumption for technology products

High consumption rates for products

Mainly bespoke products Mainly commercial (COTS) products

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Future Battlespace

• Military institutions “prepare for the last war”• “Today’s world is without precedent, it is as

different from the Cold War as it is from the Middle Ages so the past offers no basis for comparison” Phillipe Delmas1

• “We have to put aside the comfortable ways of thinking and planning, take risks and try new things so that we can prepare our forces to deter and defeat adversaries that have not yet emerged to challenge us”2

1 French military analyst; 2 Donald Rumsfeld, Former US Secretary of Defence

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Future Battlespace (2)

• Congested:– Densely populated cities– Busy seaport, dense shipping lanes, canals and waterways– Large number of manned and unmanned aircrafts– Orbital space with many commercial and non-commercial satellites

• Cluttered:– Ambiguous targets, concealment– High risk of collateral damage

• Contested:– Denial of access, mobility, freedom of action– Anti-access techniques in land, air and sea

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Future Battlespace (3)

• Connected:– Logistics networks– Communication networks– Virtual networks

• Constrained:– Political– Environmental– Legal– Societal– Economic

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Future Battlespace (4)

Defence Force Adversary

Technically superior Technically inferior

Rigid institutional inertia Flexible and adaptive

Symmetric warfare Asymmetric warfare

Legacy war strategies Disruptive innovation strategies

Predictable approaches Ambiguous techniques

Morally sensitive No regard for societal norms

Long bureaucratic processes Agile approaches

Centralised decision-making Decentralised and empowered smaller groups

Believes in proven doctrines, tactics and techniques

Continuously adjusting according to ops requirements

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The Challenge

• Long defence planning horizons (20 – 30 years) vs. emergent conflicts

• Long capability acquisition cycles vs. quick adversary procurement processes

• Rational deployment processes vs. chaotic conflict• Political pressure for short-lived war vs. patient and relentless

adversary• Political pressure to decrease Defence budgets vs. “infinite”

terror group funding• Costly bespoke defence systems vs. cheaper COTS technologies• Unaffordable defence policy vs. flexible and emergent plans

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Repositioning for Future

• Requirement for a defence capacity that is agile, adaptable and is able to swiftly re-organise

• Shift focus away from providing capabilities per se to building capacity to generate capabilities as and when required

• Decentralise decision-making to levels that allow swift response and low bureaucracy

• Emphasis on highly versatile, highly proficient and highly skilled personnel across a number of capabilities

• Optimal combination of human and technology• Collection platforms that include human elements (SOINT)

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Future TD Process

• Operational Advantage– The ability to attain and maintain an edge over potential adversaries in order to

increase chances of success and protection of assets in an operational environment.

– Operational advantage is influenced by the dynamics of the battlespace concerned. In order to effectively leverage technology for operational advantage therefore, mission-centric factors must be considered (mission-centric technology solutions)

– Leveraging technology for operational advantage requires a technology development life-cycle that is short and a development process that is agile. This is a pre-requisite to address the frequently changing and uncertain operational environment.

– Capacity to operate, maintain and modify capabilities without being dependent on the external environment.

– Mission-centric technology solutions that give an operational edge in operational areas

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Future TD Process (2)

• Strategic Independence– The ability to apply capabilities to achieve national goals and preserve

national interests without dependence on or intervention from third party states or entities.

– Strategic independence affords the country freedom to choose how, where, and when it applies its defence capabilities – while it enjoys the capacity to support, operate and maintain such capabilities independently.

– Opportunities to generate intellectual property at system or sub-system level of technology products, and have the freedom to decide on how to utilise it.

– Once these strategically-essential technologies have been defined and developed, the next step is to protect them and make sure they don’t fall on the wrong hands.

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Enablers

• Intelligent Buyer– Ability to understand capabilities from sub-systems

level to the system-of-systems level– The ability (skills, knowledge, expertise) to understand

capabilities of specific technologies– Ability to apply Defence Science, Engineering and

Technology (DSET) techniques to solve imminent security challenge as it appears.

– Ability to compare various technology solutions in terms of performance, interoperability, cost and value-for-money .

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Enablers (2)

• Cost Reduction– Integrate advanced bespoke defence technologies

into standards COTS equipment– Jointly undertake development programs with

friendly nations and allies and share the costs– Identify cutting edge civil technologies that can be

incorporated into defence capabilities – A balance between costs and risks plays a

significant role when deciding on the industrial capability that will support specific technologies

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Enablers (3)

• Industry Role– Industry would only invest in technology

development projects where there are clear indications of technology uptake opportunities

– There’s a need for a network of smaller companies with high technical density

– Complementary roles between higher tier companies (OEMs) and lower tier sub-contractors (SMMEs)

T.D. Process

• Mission-centric Technology Solutions

• Cutting-edge Strategic/Sovereign Technologies

Solution Outcome

• Centres of Expertise • DERI’s• Testing Facilities• Industry

T.D. Capability • Mission-centric

challenges• Strategic technology

requirements• Future battle space

dynamics

Problem Space

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T.D. Life CycleLC Step

Joint Operational Requirements

Concept Development

Concept Maturation

Technology Development

Technology Deployment

Technology Evaluation

Technology Improvement

DSET Activities

Operational research, Decision support

Basic research, Theoretical analysis, Modelling and simulation

Refined analysis, initial prototyping, empirical analysis

Refined prototype development, specification development

Trial deployments, performance data analysis, concept of

operations, policy refinement

Testing and evaluation, technology demonstration activities

Identified shortcomings, gap analysis, improvement concepts

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Technology Partnerships

Product Sales

Country Block Investors

International Technology

Partnerships

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Role MatrixStakeholder Role

Government Creates and supports conducive regulatory and fiscal environment

Funding agencies Provide adequate funding timeously

DSET Community Develop relevant mission-centric and/or strategically-essential technologies

Military • Specify joint technology requirements for operational capabilities

• Correctly employ developed technologies to achieve successful missions

Critical Success Factors

• Should be a national effort• Should be centrally directed at highest strategic

level• Should be centrally coordinated by multiple-

agency bodies• Should be continuously tracked, evaluated and

monitored by multiple-stakeholder forums• Awareness and capacity development should

start at lowest level (STEM)RSA DEPARTMENT OF DEFENCE 21

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THANK YOUThat’s All Folks