The rapidly evolving operating environmentThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Sensors – The basic human need to know and understand your environment is of particular imperative to the Armed Forces. Defence is interested in the development of small, low-power, light-weight, multi-modal sensing capabilities for example to detect explosive and chemical substances, and radio frequency emissions.Fifty years ago, major technological developments were primarily driven by the space race and the Cold War. Today, almost all technology development, derived from current global S&amp;T investment, is driven by the consumer market. Advanced technology development, once the realm of government laboratories, is now carried out to a large extent in the civil and commercial sectors. As technology continues to be driven by market needs, exploitation of technology to meet defence and security needs will require an increasing focus and understanding of emerging technologies and their opportunities and impacts on the future of Defence and Security. As well as increased understanding of the evolving physical and social environments in which Defence operates.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FK014277%2F1">Signal Processing 4 the Networked Battlespace</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FS000631%2F1">Signal Procssing in the Information Age</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FK014307%2F2">Signal Processing Solutions for the Networked Battlespace</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=131610">Autonomous decision-making for maximising security in defence sensor networks</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ015180%2F1">Sensor Signal Processing</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FD032652%2F1">Ultra Wide Band signature analysis for detection of weapons &amp; explosives</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FS026657%2F1">Signal Sensing, Design and Delivery for Electronic Warfare</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10045549">University College London and Plextek Services Limited KTP 22_23 R3</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=700542">Analysis of Market for the Next Generation of Explosives, Chemical Weapons and Narcotics Detection Technologies</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011332%2F1">TRUST: Tracing Risk and Uncertainty in Security Technology</a></li></ul>

The rapidly evolving operating environment

Sensors – The basic human need to know and understand your environment is of particular imperative to the Armed Forces. Defence is interested in the development of small, low-power, light-weight, multi-modal sensing capabilities for example to detect explosive and chemical substances, and radio frequency emissions.

The rapidly evolving operating environmentThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Determining intent – In complex environments involving a range of military and civilian actors, from a variety of cultural backgrounds, we need to be able to determine the intent of adversaries from posture, movement, emissions and stance prior to overt aggressive action.Fifty years ago, major technological developments were primarily driven by the space race and the Cold War. Today, almost all technology development, derived from current global S&amp;T investment, is driven by the consumer market. Advanced technology development, once the realm of government laboratories, is now carried out to a large extent in the civil and commercial sectors. As technology continues to be driven by market needs, exploitation of technology to meet defence and security needs will require an increasing focus and understanding of emerging technologies and their opportunities and impacts on the future of Defence and Security. As well as increased understanding of the evolving physical and social environments in which Defence operates.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011324%2F1">Strategic Governance of Science and Technology Pathways to Security</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011413%2F1">SNT Really Makes Reality:Technological Innovation, Non-Obvious Warfare and the Challenges to International Law</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011332%2F1">TRUST: Tracing Risk and Uncertainty in Security Technology</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK010190%2F1">'The Drivers of Military Strategic Reform in the Face of Economic Crisis and Changing Warfare'</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK008838%2F1">Cyber Warfare and Nuclear Strategy: Challenging the Utility of Nuclear Weapons in Global Security</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011367%2F1">Science and Security: Research Impact and Co-Production of Knowledge</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011359%2F1">The Political Effects of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles on Conflict and Cooperation within and between States</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK011308%2F1">The Formulation and Non-formulation of Security Concerns: Preventing the Destructive Application of the Life Sciences</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FL001616%2F1">Reconnecting the academic community to British defence and security policy: the 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FW012820%2F1">Net Zero Militaries (NETZMIL): Retaining Operational Effectiveness in a Low Carbon World</a></li></ul>

Determining intent – In complex environments involving a range of military and civilian actors, from a variety of cultural backgrounds, we need to be able to determine the intent of adversaries from posture, movement, emissions and stance prior to overt aggressive action.

Information, big data and autonomyThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Reducing Cognitive Load - Greater access to data, information and services will challenge the cognitive loading on personnel. How can new technology help reduce this burden through, for example, autonomous software agents? Which functions could be carried out by machine and, conversely, what decisions will still need to be taken by human operators to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards? How do we integrate these advances into our command and control systems?In an increasingly connected and complex world, we need to optimise our use of rich and diverse data sets to inform decision makers in a timely manner. As the types and volumes of information available to the commander increase, this will place a greater importance on tools and techniques to collate, synthesise and visualise information in a timely and understandable way so that it can be readily acted upon. Different sources will have different degrees of assurance but combining multiple information sources greatly increases the robustness of the analysis – although we need to be able to show levels of certainty/uncertainty within the analysis.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ012521%2F1">Human-Autonomous Systems Collective Capability (HASCC)</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10087361">Hybrid Human-AI Decision Support for Enhanced Human Empowerment in Dynamic Situations</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10043581">HORIZON-CL5-2021-D6-01 - 101068977 SafeTeam</a></li></ul>

Reducing Cognitive Load - Greater access to data, information and services will challenge the cognitive loading on personnel. How can new technology help reduce this burden through, for example, autonomous software agents? Which functions could be carried out by machine and, conversely, what decisions will still need to be taken by human operators to ensure compliance with legal and ethical standards? How do we integrate these advances into our command and control systems?

Information, big data and autonomyThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Integrating autonomous systems - Defence is interested in addressing the integration challenges of operating these new autonomous systems with legacy military capabilities. From a people perspective - what are the opportunities, costs and risks of introducing autonomous systems? How do we effectively integrate people with autonomous systems and define the boundaries and interfaces?In an increasingly connected and complex world, we need to optimise our use of rich and diverse data sets to inform decision makers in a timely manner. As the types and volumes of information available to the commander increase, this will place a greater importance on tools and techniques to collate, synthesise and visualise information in a timely and understandable way so that it can be readily acted upon. Different sources will have different degrees of assurance but combining multiple information sources greatly increases the robustness of the analysis – although we need to be able to show levels of certainty/uncertainty within the analysis.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ012521%2F1">Human-Autonomous Systems Collective Capability (HASCC)</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FF010389%2F1">Role of Modelling &amp; Simulation in Advancing NATO NEC - Loughborough Participation in MSG-062.</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=133549">Intelligent Situational Awareness Platform</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI006672%2F1">C2 Agility and Requisite Maturity Loughborough University Participation in NATO Task Group SAS-085</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ020443%2F1">DIVA: Data Intensive Visual Analytics - Provenance and Uncertainty in Human Terrain Analysis</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX030156%2F1">Human-machine learning of ambiguities to support safe, effective, and legal decision making</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ011525%2F1">Towards More Autonomy for Unmanned Vehicles: Situational Awareness and Decision Making under Uncertainty</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10087480">Multi Agent eXchange and Analysis of Data – MAXAD</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=700533">Situational awareness technology for critical services</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FJ011894%2F2">DISTRIBUTED SENSING, CONTROL AND DECISION MAKING IN MULTIAGENT AUTONOMOUS SYSTEMS</a></li></ul>

Integrating autonomous systems - Defence is interested in addressing the integration challenges of operating these new autonomous systems with legacy military capabilities. From a people perspective - what are the opportunities, costs and risks of introducing autonomous systems? How do we effectively integrate people with autonomous systems and define the boundaries and interfaces?

Maintaining advantage through enhanced technologyThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Energy and power – Defence is interested in understanding how advances in energy generation and storage and smart materials may promote more efficient energy consumption, reduce logistic footprint, soldier burden and support high power future sensing and weapons systems.As commercial investment introduces widely available and low cost systems, the technological lead of the UK and its allies over adversaries is likely to be further eroded, with the democratisation of technologies such as additive manufacturing, cyber and unmanned systems enabling non-government actors to strike at the UK. To counter these advances we need to explore technologies which will improve the survivability of our people and platforms, extended their endurance, and ensure robust and resilient military capabilities.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=103817">ARG - A lightweight, highly compact, high power to weigth ratio, low cost, 10kW military auxillary power unit</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10087518">Revolutionising the Defence Supply Chain through Space-enabled Materials &amp; Manufacturing Processes (M&amp;MP)</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FH020543%2F1">Sandpit: The Solar Soldier</a></li></ul>

Maintaining advantage through enhanced technology

Energy and power – Defence is interested in understanding how advances in energy generation and storage and smart materials may promote more efficient energy consumption, reduce logistic footprint, soldier burden and support high power future sensing and weapons systems.

Maintaining advantage through enhanced technologyThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum - How do we develop approaches to maximise the use of the electronic spectrum in congested environments to ensure commanders are able to access the information they need? How can we improve secure transmission of information? How do we integrate new and emerging technological solutions with legacy equipment to achieve this communications edge?As commercial investment introduces widely available and low cost systems, the technological lead of the UK and its allies over adversaries is likely to be further eroded, with the democratisation of technologies such as additive manufacturing, cyber and unmanned systems enabling non-government actors to strike at the UK. To counter these advances we need to explore technologies which will improve the survivability of our people and platforms, extended their endurance, and ensure robust and resilient military capabilities.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FS026657%2F1">Signal Sensing, Design and Delivery for Electronic Warfare</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FX01228X%2F1">Pervasive Wireless Intelligence Beyond the Generations (PerCom)</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FK008757%2F1">Tackling the looming spectrum crisis in Wireless Communication</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=509702">Kingston University Higher Education and Cubic Defence UK Limted</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FE006213%2F1">Enhancing Networks and Wireless Research at Loughborough University's Communications Research Group - A Case for Platform Grant Support</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=104957">Safety impact of digitised RF signal broadcast in a complex RF environment</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FY02785X%2F1">NetISAC: Design and performance analysis of network-level ISAC: More than Integration</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10074378">Innovative RF Awareness platform based on SDR and AI Technologies</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=511765">Coventry University and IQHQ Limited</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI013504%2F2">Community Organisation of Events in Communications, Mobile Computing and Networking with EPSRC ICT Portfolio</a></li></ul>

Exploiting the electromagnetic spectrum - How do we develop approaches to maximise the use of the electronic spectrum in congested environments to ensure commanders are able to access the information they need? How can we improve secure transmission of information? How do we integrate new and emerging technological solutions with legacy equipment to achieve this communications edge?

Reducing the long term costs of military capabilityThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Cost - Traditional complex military capability is designed and built to counter technologically sophisticated military adversaries. What low cost, simple solutions exist to address the future spectrum of potential adversary capabilities? How can we ensure military units and capabilities are sufficiently agile to fulfil a range of potential roles and counter the spectrum of adversaries? How do we introduce asymmetric capability to our advantage? How do we integrate new technologies into complex systems at affordable cost?Defence spends around £8 billion annually on the provision of equipment and technological solutions for our Armed Forces. The cost of delivering and maintaining these platforms grows with technical complexity. For military platforms and weapons systems, there are significant technical challenges in driving down the cost of integration and ownership; integrating these systems into a networked environment; addressing a range of difficult targets; and providing the ability to defeat targets under highly constrained rules of engagement. This will drive the need for increased stand-off ranges of our platform and weapons systems which will require developments in our propulsion and airframe designs.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FF010389%2F1">Role of Modelling &amp; Simulation in Advancing NATO NEC - Loughborough Participation in MSG-062.</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FK010190%2F1">'The Drivers of Military Strategic Reform in the Face of Economic Crisis and Changing Warfare'</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FH027866%2F1">BAE Systems, the Royal Academy of Engineering and the EPSRC Chair in Systems Engineering</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI006672%2F1">C2 Agility and Requisite Maturity Loughborough University Participation in NATO Task Group SAS-085</a></li></ul>

Reducing the long term costs of military capability

Cost - Traditional complex military capability is designed and built to counter technologically sophisticated military adversaries. What low cost, simple solutions exist to address the future spectrum of potential adversary capabilities? How can we ensure military units and capabilities are sufficiently agile to fulfil a range of potential roles and counter the spectrum of adversaries? How do we introduce asymmetric capability to our advantage? How do we integrate new technologies into complex systems at affordable cost?

Reducing the long term costs of military capabilityThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Training – Preparing our people for operations with appropriate training can be costly. How do we harness advances in synthetics and simulation to reduce the need for real training? What technological advances will improve our ability to train and prepare for dangerous situations without exposing our people to unnecessary risks? How do we reduce our burden on the physical environment? What is the optimum blend of real/synthetic training? How do we measure the effectiveness of team and collective training?Defence spends around £8 billion annually on the provision of equipment and technological solutions for our Armed Forces. The cost of delivering and maintaining these platforms grows with technical complexity. For military platforms and weapons systems, there are significant technical challenges in driving down the cost of integration and ownership; integrating these systems into a networked environment; addressing a range of difficult targets; and providing the ability to defeat targets under highly constrained rules of engagement. This will drive the need for increased stand-off ranges of our platform and weapons systems which will require developments in our propulsion and airframe designs.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FP031277%2F1">Novel Approach to Rotorcraft Simulation Fidelity Enhancement and Assessment</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FV004190%2F1">A Revolution in Military Learning? Uncovering the Potential of Lessons-Learned Processes</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI006672%2F1">C2 Agility and Requisite Maturity Loughborough University Participation in NATO Task Group SAS-085</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FG002932%2F1">Lifting Standards: A Novel Approach to the Development of Fidelity Criteria for Rotorcraft Flight Simulators</a></li></ul>

Training – Preparing our people for operations with appropriate training can be costly. How do we harness advances in synthetics and simulation to reduce the need for real training? What technological advances will improve our ability to train and prepare for dangerous situations without exposing our people to unnecessary risks? How do we reduce our burden on the physical environment? What is the optimum blend of real/synthetic training? How do we measure the effectiveness of team and collective training?

Supporting and protecting our peopleThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Future skills - We assess that the world of tomorrow will be increasingly automated. How could we determine the different blend of skills needed by Defence in the future? With other sectors competing for the skilled labour, how could Defence ensure it can attract an agile workforce with the required skills?Defence of the UK is critically reliant on access to an appropriately skilled and trained workforce. Demographic changes in the UK, combined with a range of technology advances are likely to change the role of the human in future military tasks – this will demand new skills and different ways of attracting people to join the Defence Enterprise.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=EP%2FI006672%2F1">C2 Agility and Requisite Maturity Loughborough University Participation in NATO Task Group SAS-085</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FV004190%2F1">A Revolution in Military Learning? Uncovering the Potential of Lessons-Learned Processes</a></li></ul>

Future skills - We assess that the world of tomorrow will be increasingly automated. How could we determine the different blend of skills needed by Defence in the future? With other sectors competing for the skilled labour, how could Defence ensure it can attract an agile workforce with the required skills?

Supporting and protecting our peopleThis problem is a UK government area of research interest (ARI) that was originally posted at <a target='_blank' href='https://ari.org.uk/'>https://ari.org.uk/</a> by a UK government organisation to indicate that they are keen to see research related to this area.Managing careers - Where the need for people/human capital endures, how do we build fulfilling Defence careers, particularly in scarce skill disciplines where traditional military hierarchies, structures and approaches do not attract people with the skills we need for the future? How do we encourage a broader range of people to work in challenging roles and environments?Defence of the UK is critically reliant on access to an appropriately skilled and trained workforce. Demographic changes in the UK, combined with a range of technology advances are likely to change the role of the human in future military tasks – this will demand new skills and different ways of attracting people to join the Defence Enterprise.Contact detailsaccelerator@dstl.gov.ukRelated UKRI Projects<ul><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FW006251%2F1">A career pipeline for 50+ Service leavers</a></li><li><a href="http://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ES%2FJ023868%2F1">The value of university armed service units</a></li></ul>

Managing careers - Where the need for people/human capital endures, how do we build fulfilling Defence careers, particularly in scarce skill disciplines where traditional military hierarchies, structures and approaches do not attract people with the skills we need for the future? How do we encourage a broader range of people to work in challenging roles and environments?

Ministry of Defense (GB)

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