1

UNCLASSIFIED

Australian Defence Science in the 21st Century

Dr. Claire Davis

Acknowledgements: Mr. Peter Kerr, Dr. Nigel McGinty, Dr. Karen O’Connor, Dr. Roger Neill

2

UNCLASSIFIED

Defence Science and Technology - At A Glance

3

UNCLASSIFIED

National leader in safeguarding Australia by delivering valued scientific advice and innovative technology solutions for Defence and national security

Defence Science and Technology Purpose and Roles

4

UNCLASSIFIED

The increasing pace of technological change

Year

Tech

nolo

gy D

evel

opm

ent

5

UNCLASSIFIED

Time

Disruptive Technologies M

arke

t Pen

etra

tion

Initial market entry – little attention paid to innovation

Rapid expansion due to easy and broad uptake – empowered by digital technologies. Existing markets underestimate impact.

Disruptive innovation becomes mature

Ultimately mature markets are displaced

6

UNCLASSIFIED

Kodak – Blue Chip to Bankrupt

7

UNCLASSIFIED

Horizon Scanning at DST group

Analysis Exploration Imagination

Time

Impo

rtanc

e/Aw

aren

ess

Emerging Futures

Strategic Research Program

Core Business

8

UNCLASSIFIED

The National Innovation and Science Agenda and Defence

Defence Innovation

Hub

Centre for Defence Industry

Capability

Next Generation

Technologies Fund

9

UNCLASSIFIED

Current Next Gen Tech Fund Priority Areas

SENSORS & HYPERSONICS

QUANTUM TECHNOLOGIES

MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES

CYBER HUMAN PERFORMANCE

AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS

SPACE CAPABILITIES

SURVEILLANCE

MATERIAL SCIENCES

10

UNCLASSIFIED

DST Strategic Research Initiatives (SRI) Intelligence

Surveillance & reconnaissance

Space systems Advanced Materials and sensors

Trusted Autonomous systems

Cyber operations Future electronic warfare

Hypersonics Bioterrorism preparedness

Future undersea warfare

11

UNCLASSIFIED

Hypersonic Technology and the HIFiRE program

12

UNCLASSIFIED

Defence Sensor Needs – Operations Perspective

Situational Awareness through Remote Sensing

Freedom to Navigate when GPS is denied

Situational awareness through sensor integration

Advanced sonar and magnetic sensing

Optimisation of soldier's performance Detection of IEDs & explosives Sensing of chemical and biological agents

Advanced EM/EO sensing Including hyperspectral.

13

UNCLASSIFIED

Chemical vapour detection via unmanned aerial vehicles

14

UNCLASSIFIED

Technology Forecasting & Futures

An organisational capability for longer-term horizon scanning to: Avoiding strategic surprise Guide future operating environments Inform Investment decisions (internally in DSTG and more

broadly). A small team leveraging DSTG to undertake horizon scanning and

technology deep dives. Striving to understand technology and interpreting this through a

methodological approach to understanding the strategic impact

15

UNCLASSIFIED

Biomimetically inspired solutions

The tiny hooks on bur fruits………..…inspired Velcro

16

UNCLASSIFIED

Biomimetic flight

Leonardo da Vinci's design for a flying machine with wings based closely upon the structure of bat wings

17

UNCLASSIFIED

What the future might look like ?

Courtesy : Babylon 5 (Vorlon ship)

18

UNCLASSIFIED

Flight : Nature vs. Engineering

19

UNCLASSIFIED

Central nervous system: Nature vs Engineering

20

UNCLASSIFIED

Fibre optic nervous system for structures

Source: Catalyst, ABC

21

UNCLASSIFIED

Understanding materials using integrated nervous system

Composite hydrofoil under test at the Australian Maritime College

Water Tunnel

Strain map from embedded fibre optic sensing network

22

UNCLASSIFIED

New materials: Nature vs Engineering

Internal bone structure : Light and strong Additively manufactured material : Light and strong (Boeing)

23

UNCLASSIFIED

Self healing : Nature vs. Engineering

Animation for tissue healing

Courtesy: Penn State University

24

UNCLASSIFIED

Responsive materials : Nature vs Engineering

Courtesy : NASA Langley

25

UNCLASSIFIED

Solving Challenging Problems

Science Challenge

People

26

UNCLASSIFIED

The 21st Century Scientist

27

UNCLASSIFIED

The scientist of the future : The 4 C’s

•Being innovative

and inventive in trying new approaches

• Looking at problems in new ways and linking expertise across disciplines

•Working together

to achieve solutions to complex problems.

• Sharing thoughts,

questions, ideas and solutions.

Communication Collaboration

Creativity Critical Thinking

28

UNCLASSIFIED

Apprenticeships Indigenous Apprenticeship Program (South Australia)

Undergraduate SVS: 12 weeks summer vacation studentships IEP: 12 month full-time industrial experience placements. Cadetships: Support for high performing Australian undergraduate students during their degree (scholarship and fees paid), fulltime job upon graduation.

Graduate Fulltime ongoing employment in specific career fields.

Postgraduate Defence sponsored postgraduate projects in areas of Defence relevance conducted in partnership with Universities.

Year 10 work experience Defence.workexperienceprogram@defence.gov.au

Working at DST group

29

UNCLASSIFIED

Human, Social and Health Sciences - Bio-technology, Operations/Simulation, Food Science, Behavioural and Social Science, Environmental Science, Biological Sciences, Physiology, Biomechanics

Physical Sciences - Physics, Chemistry (including Energetic Materials), Electronic Warfare, Materials Science, Optoelectronics, Radar Technology, Sonar Technology, Instrumentation & Control, Evaluation & Experimentation, Acoustics

Engineering and Technology - Aeronautical/Aerospace, Aircraft Structures, Electrical/Electronic, Flight Mechanics, Fluid Mechanics, Mechanical, Microwave, Robotics, Weapons Systems/Engineering, Systems Engineering and Integration, Naval Architecture, Materials Engineering

Information, Computing and Communications - Artificial Intelligence & Agents, Information Technology, Communications, Computing/Mathematical, Computing/Programming, Signal Processing, Software Engineering, Telecommunications

Mathematics - Mathematics, Statistics, Operations Research, Numerical Simulation/Modelling, Analysis

STEM Career Options

30

UNCLASSIFIED

Get the free DST App from the Apple Store or Google Play

Thank You