Science & Technology

Science & Technology Expertise

Defence R&D Canada's science and technology research is based on 11 areas of expertise that are grouped into three domains: physical, information, and human. A number of these areas include aspects from more than one domain.

Command and Control

Command and control involves the conveyance of intent in complex environments involving humans and systems. Science and technology expertise that supports this requirement addresses information and knowledge management, visualization technologies, decision making tools, and concept development methodologies.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Enhanced decision-making in C2 environments
• Flexible and adaptable C2 concepts and structures for achieving common intent
• Effects-based visualization and awareness for the decision-maker
• Information fusion and knowledge management and representation
• Software protection and counter measures

Communications Networks

Communications networks form the basis for linkages among all elements of an organization. Science and technology expertise must exist in the areas of wireless and networked systems and computers, including architecture, protection, and countermeasures to ensure robust, adaptable, and reliable networks.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Robust, reliable networks
• Computer network operations
• Robust wireless communications
• Communications electronic warfare
• Navigation warfare

Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance

Situational awareness and decision making depend on information collected and organized to describe the environment and activity. Science and technology expertise in development, deployment, and fusing of sensing systems is required for effective information gathering.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Collaborative adaptive sensing
• Sensing systems to exploit diversity (in phenomenon, space, time and spectrum)
• New sensing technologies
• Exploitation of target and environment characteristics
• Exploitation of adversaries' emissive systems

Complex Systems

Many requirements in the defence and security environment go beyond traditional training and understanding to a convergence of disciplines that need to address the fundamental principles of complexity. Science and technology expertise in this area includes analysis of complexity, methodologies for capability-based planning and capability engineering as well as methodologies to analyze integrating concept and other complex systems.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Smart acquisitions and enhanced material support
• Capability based planning
• Capability engineering
• Analysis of integrating concepts
• Analysis of complex systems and concepts
• Improvements in multi-purpose capability of new and existing systems

System Autonomy

Technological developments combined with a need for cost reduction and minimization of casualties has led to an increased reliance upon automatic and autonomous systems. Science and technology expertise includes robotics, artificial intelligence, and understanding of emergent behaviours of systems of autonomous agents.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Intelligent autonomous systems for operation in complex environments
• Emergent behaviour of simple autonomous systems

Mobile Systems

An important element of effective engagement is the ability to move troops and place equipment in key locations quickly and efficiently. Science and technology expertise in this area focuses on the development, adaptation and maintenance of the mobile platforms that are needed for this task, including design, performance analysis, and their integration into systems.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Condition-based monitoring and prognostic and health management methodologies
• Integrated platform models and their application
• Characterization of effects of environment and expanded operating envelope on vehicles
• Development of efficient energy storage and power sources

Weapons Systems

Modern weapons must be effective against a variety of targets in challenging environments such as urban terrain. Science and technology expertise includes identification and characterization of lethal and non-lethal weapons as well as the application of new weapon concepts to meet Canadian Forces requirements.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Non-lethal weapons
• Assessment of the effects of weapons and weapon systems
• Tailored precision weapons
• Enhanced weapons systems for complex environments, including urban operations

Personnel Protection

Personnel of the Canadian Forces and their allies and the people they are tasked to protect need to be protected from various threats including weapons, environmental toxins, and disease. People also need to be monitored to ensure that they are capable of performing the required tasks needed. Science and technology expertise includes threat evaluation, diagnostic methods, physical protection, and treatment.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Evaluation and mitigation of hazards from toxic materials, infectious threats and weapons
• Diagnostic and adaptive systems for environmental stresses
• Personnel protection systems and signature reduction
• Casualty prevention and management

Protection of Assets

Physical structures and infrastructure need to be protected from attack and the environmental damage needs to be minimized during military operations. Science and technology expertise includes methodologies for structural survivability, reduced observability and signature management, countermeasures against weapons, and equipment decontamination techniques.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Structure and materials for protection against weapons attacks
• Reduced observability through active and passive signature management
• Active countermeasures for platform protection
• Minimization of impact of military operations, including training, on the environment
• Decontamination of equipment and structures exposed to toxic and corrosive materials

Human Systems Integration

Humans are required to interact with more and more complex systems to communicate, obtain information, and effect actions. Science and technology expertise includes modeling of humans for simulation and system performance evaluation, human-systems integration, monitoring and predicting of psycho-physiological readiness and the design of systems that effectively train and prepare humans for operations.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Human performance models for military simulations
• Human systems integration
• Monitoring, predicting and enhancing psycho-physiological readiness
• Increased effectiveness and efficiency of the Canadian Forces human resources system
• Distributed, adaptable, and on-demand learning, training and rehearsal

Behavourial Effects

The prediction and influence of human behaviour is important for understanding and defeating adversaries but also for developing more effective operations that may include members from diverse backgrounds and different organizations working cooperatively. Science and technology expertise includes understanding of motivation, communication, cultural effects, leadership, and cooperation.

Defence R&D Canada's S&T focus:

• Understanding, prediction and influence of adversaries' intent
• Strategies for promoting collaborative behaviour among teams, agencies, organizations, and societies
• Selection and development of leaders and members consistent with the ethos of the Canadian Forces
• Strategic outlook - Tools and models to analyze and assess implications of changes in national and international policy, socio-economic trends and political climate