A Brief History of Defence R&D; Canada

The history of Canadian defence research can be traced back to World War I, when Canadian scientists helped others from the Allied Powers alleviate the danger from submarines and sea-mines in the Atlantic Ocean. Twenty years later, during World War II, Canada's effort was more substantial, with the National Research Council (NRC) and Canadian universities turning over large parts of their research effort to defence problems. By the end of the war, Canada had a strong competence in defence research and development, both in NRC and in the research establishments of the individual services.

To maintain this competence and to allow NRC to return to its peacetime pursuits, while avoiding competition between the three services for scientific manpower and resources, a new organization - the Defence Research Board (DRB) - was created by an amendment to the National Defence Act in April, 1947.

The DRB was directed to provide scientific advice to the Minister of National Defence, to meet the research requirements of the Canadian Armed Forces, and to contribute to the collective defence research efforts of Canada's allies. It was also required to support research of defence interest in Canadian universities and industries.

The DRB assumed administrative and functional control of the separate service research institutions in Canada, and at one time operated all of the present research centres together with laboratories in Kingston, Ontario; Churchill, Manitoba; and two additional establishments in Ottawa. The DRB also conducted an extensive program of extramural research through support by grants and contracts to Canadian universities and industry.

Following integration of the Canadian Forces in the mid-sixties, the element of competition for scientific manpower and dollar resources was no longer a valid argument for retaining a research organization as a separate arm of the Department. This fact, together with a requirement to reduce administrative overhead and a perceived need to draw the scientists into a closer relationship with the military, led to a decision to integrate the research functions of DRB into a single program within the Department.

In 1974 the Research and Development Branch was formed under the control of the Chief of Research and Development (CRAD). CRAD was responsible for the overall conduct of the R&D; program.

The Research and Development Branch entered a new period in its organizational history on April 1, 2000 when it became an agency within the Department of National Defence and became known as Defence R&D; Canada. Agency status has provided new and expanded authorities that serve it well in continuing to provide scientific excellence to meet the needs of the Canadian Forces and make R&D; contributions to the growth of Canada's economy.

Canadian Defence R&D; Through the Years

The present-day achievements of Defence R&D; Canada have as their foundation a legacy of important work undertaken through the years. These accomplishments have involved many disciplines and exemplary science. Here are a few examples.

Franks Flying Suit Mark III - the first anti-G suit to go into war service

Early in World War II, a research team led by Sir Frederick Banting discovered that fighter pilots frequently crashed as they pulled out of steep turns because acceleration forces blood away from the brain and heart. The researchers learned this by building a man-sized centrifuge "Accelerator," in which they observed hundreds of young men - aircrew volunteers under the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan - as they whirled to fainting point.

A team led by Dr. Wilbur Franks developed overalls made of two layers of rubber with water between, which laced tight to the pilot's body. This was the Franks Flying Suit Mark II (FFS Mk II), the world's first "G" (gravity) suit. In 1941, on his way to Britain to discuss aviation medicine and demonstrate the FFS Mk II, Banting died in an air crash in Labrador. Dr. Franks' team then developed the FFS Mk III, an air inflated, zippered version that led directly to the first production model. Modern G-suits use the same physiological principle applied by Dr. Franks.

Operational Variable Depth Sonar

Early Post-war trials proved that a sonar set lowered into the water depths gave generally improved detection ranges over a hull-mounted set, against submerged targets. This prompted an intensive effort involving underwater sound propagation, hydrodynamic towing studies and sonar design, which culminated in 1958 in a successful Variable Depth Sonar system. Such systems have since become a major sonar equipment component in the destroyers of most navies.

Black Brant high altitude research rocket

The Black Brant high-altitude research rocket developed in the early 1960s is still sold worldwide by Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg, Manitoba. NASA uses the Black Brant to check atmospheric conditions before launching its space shuttles.

Alouette I research satellite

With the launch of the research satellite Alouette I in September, 1962, Canada became the third nation in space. Alouette I, Alouette II and their successors ISIS I and ISIS II were designed and built at the Defence Research Telecommunications Establishment (now DREO), at Shirleys Bay, to gather ionospheric data for radio research. These satellites became the foundation of the Canadian space program and modern communications technology, in which Canada is a world leader.

DCIEM Diving Tables

Years of hyperbaric (diving) research paid off in the 1960s with the development of a method for calculating decompression times for deep-sea divers. The DCIEM Diving Tables are now used all over the world to reduce the risk of decompression sickness, more commonly called "the bends."

Quick-Don Immersion Suit

Canadian Forces aircraft patrol our dangerously cold coastal waters all year, in fair weather and foul. Since the mid-1960s, the Quick-Don Anti-Exposure Flying Coverall has saved many lives, but its maximum survival time is 1.6 hours and it is almost useless if it leaks. Under contract, META Research of Vancouver, B.C (formerly Mustang Industries) now supplies the Canadian Forces with a new, improved immersion suit. The Mustang suit costs $100 less than the old suit, has a maximum estimated survival time of 4.1 hours, and tolerates moderate leakage without losing effectiveness.

CRV7 70 mm air-to-ground rocket weapon system

The CRV7 is a 70-mm air-to-ground rocket weapon system developed in the early 1970s for the CFP104 Starfighter. Arms technology often has a short shelf life, but not the CRV7 - after 20 years, many nations use it, including Canada, Britain, New Zealand, Norway, Denmark and Portugal. By the end of 1993, Bristol Aerospace of Winnipeg, Manitoba, had produced 619,000 CRV7 units, including 277,000 for export, earning more than $310 million.