ANNEX B - AREAS OF S&T; EXPERTISE⁶

Areas of S&T; Expertise

The Defence S&T; Strategy identifies eleven primary areas of S&T; expertise in which critical mass must be maintained in order for the departmental S&T; investment to be able to reliably affect the mission-critical outcomes identified in Annex A. As shown in the Figure at right (reproduced from the strategy's main text), these S&T; areas group into three domains: physical, information and human. A number of these areas include aspects of more than one domain. In this annex, each of these primary areas of S&T; expertise is described further. For each area, a set of S&T; challenges is defined that represents what are considered the most important scientific and technical obstacles that must be overcome. These challenges help to further clarify and focus the effort to establish the S&T; expertise. These areas of expertise are expected to be enduring for the shelf-life of this strategy, but must be reviewed periodically to ensure that they remain consistent with defence strategy documents, as they evolve.

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Table B-1 - List of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Command and Control	1.1 Enhanced decision making in C2 environments
	1.2 Flexible and adaptable C2 concepts and structures for achieving common intent
	1.3 Effects-based visualization and awareness for the decision maker
	1.4 Information Fusion and Knowledge Management and Representation
	1.5 Software Protection and Counter Measures
Communications Networks	2.1 Robust, reliable networks
	2.2 Computer Network Operations (CNO)
	2.3 Robust wireless communications
	2.4 Communications Electronic Warfare (CEW)
	2.5 Navigation Warfare
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance	3.1 Collaborative adaptive sensing
	3.2 Sensing systems to exploit diversity (in phenomena, space, time and spectrum)
	3.3 New sensing technologies
	3.4 Exploitation of target and environment characteristics
	3.5 Exploitation of adversaries' emissive systems
Complex Systems	4.1 Smart acquisitions and enhanced materiel support
	4.2 Capability Based Planning
	4.3 Capability Engineering
	4.4 Analysis of Integrating Concepts
	4.5 Analysis of complex systems and concepts
	4.6 Improvements in multi-purpose capability of new and existing systems
System Autonomy	5.1 Intelligent Autonomous Systems for operation in complex environments
	5.2 Emergent behaviour of simple autonomous systems
Mobile Systems	6.1 Condition-based monitoring and prognostic and health management methodologies
	6.2 Integrated platform models and their application
	6.3 Characterization of effects of environment and expanded operating envelope on vehicles
	6.4 Development of efficient energy storage and power sources
Weapons Systems	7.1 Non-lethal weapons
	7.2 Assessment of the effects of weapons and weapon systems
	7.3 Tailored precision weapons
	7.4 Enhanced weapons systems for complex environments, including urban ops
Personnel Protection	8.1 Evaluation and mitigation of hazards from toxic materials, infectious threats and weapons
	8.2 Diagnostic and Adaptive Systems for Environmental Stresses
	8.3 Personnel Protection Systems and Signature Reduction
	8.4 Casualty Prevention and Management
Protection of Assets	9.1 Structures and materials for protection against weapons attacks
	9.2 Reduced observability through active and passive signature management
	9.3 Active countermeasures for platform protection
	9.4 Minimization of impact of military operations, including training, on the environment
	9.5 Decontamination of equipment and structures exposed to toxic and corrosive materials
Human Systems Integration	10.1 Human performance models for military simulations
	10.2 Human Systems Integration (HSI)
	10.3 Monitoring, predicting and enhancing psycho-physiological readiness
	10.4 Increased effectiveness and efficiency of the CF HR system
	10.5 Distributed, adaptable, and on-demand learning, training and rehearsal
Behavioural Effects	11.1 Understanding, prediction and influence of adversaries' intent
	11.2 Strategies for promoting collaborative behaviour among teams, agencies, organizations, and societies
	11.3 Selection and development of leaders and members consistent with the ethos of the CF
	11.4 Strategic Outlook - Tools and models to analyze and assess implications of changes in national and international policy, socio-economic trends and political climate

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Command and Control Command and control involves the conveyance of intent in complex environments that involves humans and systems. S&T; expertise that supports this requirement addresses information and knowledge management, visualization technologies, decision making tools, and concept development methodologies.	1.1 Enhanced decision making in C2 environments Command and control (C2) involves multiple, diverse, networked teams that can involve national and coalition partners and non-military agencies, challenging the commander to deal with options along various dimensions. The C2 environment and the human decision making process must be understood in order to accurately model decision-making for individuals and teams. With this knowledge, the challenge is to apply concepts of decision analysis, artificial intelligence, multi-criteria analysis and cognitive methodologies to develop decision support systems for that can be modelled and used for training as well as for operations. The decision support system needs to include the ability to present the expected effects and risks of a particular course of action to allow the decision maker to quickly evaluate the advantages and trade-offs of one decision over another.
	1.2 Flexible and adaptable C2 concepts and structures for achieving common intent The CF face increasingly challenging operating environments, both in North America and abroad, where Canadian commanders work with other military and non-military organizations for achieving common effects. Concepts such as Effects-Based Operations and Network Enabled Operations promise improvements in force effectiveness but they challenge the traditional C2 concepts, structures and decision centralization. The speed at which events occur and the complexity of developing situations requires timely decisions and the ability to disseminate commands aligned with the common intent. The challenge is to develop flexible and adaptable C2 concepts and structures to address flattened hierarchies, wider spans of control, and ambiguous authority-responsibility relationships while anticipating spontaneous group behaviour. This requires new strategies to share information and knowledge for collaborative planning activities and to establish common understanding among teams of Command intent.
	1.3 Effects-based visualization and awareness for the decision maker The key to making effective and accurate decisions is to have clear and accurate information about the situation, including activities and intent of allies and adversaries. The decision maker also needs to understand the possible consequences of any decision. The challenge is to assemble and present information from many sources (e.g., sensors and human intelligence) and to present it in a form to facilitate the development of a clear awareness of the situation, including inference of intent of allies and adversaries. This includes systems to align, correlate, combine, distil, interpret, and control the inflow of a mix of dissimilar data and information (often inherently uncertain) to assemble a high-quality representation of aspects of interest in the environment. This objective demands intelligent "effect-aware" display methods, depicting differences between desired and actual effects and associated uncertainty.
	1.4 Information Fusion and Knowledge Management and Representation It is recognised that the effectiveness of any military or para-military intervention depends heavily on the comprehension of the situation at hand. Knowledge and awareness of local culture, customs, languages and geo-political reality enable the CF to interact efficiently. The challenge lies in implementing effective toolsets for creating, analyzing and managing relevant data, information, and knowledge. Efficient exploitation requires organisational practices through which information and know-how, in their broadest senses, are shared to facilitate operational effectiveness.
	1.5 Software Protection and Counter Measures Modern C2 systems rely on complex software systems running on networked computers and communications systems. The reliability of the systems can be compromised by subtle alterations of the application or by imbedding (intentionally or unintentionally) functionality that present vulnerabilities to attack or failure. The challenge is to develop techniques to rapidly assess software products for reliability, integrity and vulnerability. Understanding techniques to camouflage functionality of software is imperative for detecting hidden malice and thereby ensuring trustworthy software quality assessment. These techniques may also be applied to develop and embed trap doors or Trojans in software used by adversaries.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Communications Networks Communications networks form the basis for linkages among all elements of an organization. S&T; 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.	2.1 Robust, reliable networks Future CF operations will employ integrated forces working with a wide range of domestic security partners and international allies, networked with different platforms, including soldiers, sensors and weapons. The challenge will be to ensure that robust, reliable communications networks, including appropriate security layers, are developed to provide seamless and timely information sharing across all levels, from strategic to tactical, over static wired and mobile wireless domains, to enable full spectrum, effective operations. This requires new strategies and techniques allowing dynamically reconfigurable networks to meet varying demands and react to network failures, while providing interoperability and end-to-end security over complex multiple-bearer architectures and across coalition systems. The development of these systems will require methodologies to apply security tags to all information and to track and control users and data throughout the system while taking into account respect for national and coalition security policies.
	2.2 Computer Network Operations (CNO) Computer networks have become a battle space in their own right in which one conducts cyber-warfare. Information, information processing, and both wired and wireless communications networks are now at the core of every military activity, and as such they must be protected from adversarial activities. Adversaries are equally threatened by network countermeasures. CNO challenges include: defensive measures to protect and defend information, computers, and networks; operations to gather information from target adversary computers and networks; and operations to disrupt, deny, degrade, or destroy information resident in computers and networks, or the computers and networks themselves.
	2.3 Robust wireless communications As the CF transforms to network enabled operations, the future battle space will require connectivity and information flow at all levels. In particular combat platforms, sensors, weapons and warfighters will all need to be connected. The challenge is to provide robust wireless links with adequate communications capacity to these systems operating in highly mobile, difficult environments and complex terrain. As terrestrial wireless and satellite communications technologies continue to advance, opportunities arise to evolve and adapt these technologies to military applications providing mobile, interoperable, high-capacity wireless communications that make full use of the available radio spectrum.
	2.4 Communications Electronic Warfare (CEW) Operating environments such as urban operations, battlefields with dense tactical communications and "three-block war" zones pose new challenges to old and new communications systems. Net-centric concepts are leading to complex communications systems that make more use of wireless systems for flexible and pervasive information exchange. Moreover, wireless communications are being used for diverse applications (e.g., remotely triggered explosive devices). Not only do these conditions create new types of vulnerabilities in friendly systems, but they open new opportunities to deceive adversaries or to penetrate their systems. The challenge is to develop CEW technology, systems, and techniques, tactics & procedures (TTPs) to exploit adversaries' use of radio and wireless networks while neutralizing the adversaries' ability to monitor and use them against friendly forces.
	2.5 Navigation Warfare The use of Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and other electronic navigation techniques has led to tremendous improvements in accuracy of navigation. The use of GPS as a source of accurate time and, thus, its use for various military applications (including communications) is increasing. Techniques are needed to electronically protect the systems from attack or interference and to deny their use to adversaries. In addition, other methodologies are needed for navigation in situations where GPS is not available (e.g., indoor/underground or urban environments).

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Situational awareness and decision making depend on information collected and organized to describe the environment and activity. S&T; expertise in development, deployment and fusing of sensing systems is required for effective information gathering.	3.1 Collaborative adaptive sensing In an effort to increase situational awareness, sensing systems of varying types are being deployed. Technology continues to offer the ability to connect via networks the outputs from diverse and powerful sensor types and autonomous systems that can be widely distributed and used for multiple purposes. New challenges include the necessity to address the complexities of tasking, communication with and co-ordination and management of these systems in a collaborative networked environment. Specific mission objectives include persistent surveillance and fleeting target detection.
	3.2 Sensing systems to exploit diversity (in phenomena, space, time and spectrum) Individual sensing systems provide differing pictures of a situation, either through different physical phenomena, spectral sensors, spatially dispersed sensors and observations over time. The challenge is to combine, integrate and fuse the information from the individual sensors to discern an understanding of the environment or situation to increase target detectability or reduce false alarms. Concepts and designs for integrated systems need to be developed to improve area surveillance in littoral, air or urban environments.
	3.3 New sensing technologies The need to improve situational awareness and threat detection cannot be met solely through the use of existing sensor systems. Particular needs include covert systems and improved detection, identification and tracking of elusive targets in challenging environments. Science and technology continues to offer opportunities for new types of sensors that are smaller (nano-scale), low power, less expensive and have increased or new sensitivities to the electro-magnetic, acoustic spectrum or other signals of interest. The challenge is to exploit and develop new sensor materials and systems for specific military tasks.
	3.4 Exploitation of target and environment characteristics Military operations seldom occur under ideal circumstances of clearly identifiable targets and friendly environments. Adversaries intentionally minimize their profiles so as to escape detection. The natural environment creates additional difficulties in detection and tracking by attenuating or distorting. For example, underwater characteristics can be extremely variable in both space and time and lead to distortion of acoustic signals. The urban environment with many surfaces and barriers can suppress and distort acoustic and electro-magnetic signals. The challenge is to develop methodologies and techniques to characterize the effects of the environmental media through which signals pass. Methods are also needed to identify the unique multi-spectral characteristics of difficult targets so that their signatures can be detected through background noise. Characteristics of the environment and targets then need to be translated into algorithms that can be used to subtract out the environmental effects and to increase the ability to detect, recognize and track targets.
	3.5 Exploitation of adversaries' emissive systems Electromagnetic and acoustic signals that are emitted by adversaries and neutral parties permeate all theatres of operation. These emissions provide an opportunity to passively detect, locate, classify, and track the source for intelligence, surveillance and threat alert. Methods are needed for specific identification (fingerprinting), detection of low probability of intercept (LPI) sources, detection of emitters in rugged terrain, timely cueing of counter-measures, navigation through the use of adversaries' and neutral transmissions, and using these emissions for hiding covert friendly signals for sensing and communication.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
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. S&T; 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 and concepts.	4.1 Smart acquisitions and enhanced materiel support Some of the most resource intensive and difficult challenges facing the CF are related to acquisition and support of equipment. Multi-billion dollar decisions to maintain, replace or upgrade equipment carry great risk. Overarching analysis techniques are needed to assist in making decisions about procurement (repair-replace-modular upgrade strategies), life-cycle management and repair. These techniques need to include improved models for risk assessment, financial modelling, and cost of ownership and analysis of support concepts and strategies. They must be capable of handling various sources of uncertainty and a wide variability of solutions and evolving capability requirements. Methods are needed to properly account for uncertainties in assumptions and to account for technology developments in the future that may radically affect the solutions.
	4.2 Capability Based Planning The CF has moved towards capability-based planning whereby high-level government policy and objectives are translated into military capability requirements. This requires the systematic assessment of the "value" of equipment, personnel, organizational and doctrinal change options to meet these capability goals appropriately assessed and prioritized according to utility in scenarios, missions and tasks. The value must be derived and expressed in new and transparent ways. It must be coupled with cost to support strategic decisions, and it must include risk, consequence and trade-offs in its formulation. New mathematical and soft system techniques are needed that can provide a systematic, repeatable and transparent analysis. Specific challenges include the development of models for: assessment of weapons, sensors and C2 system performance; joint combat simulation including group behaviours and command decision making; and comparing and valuing joint force structure options in a holistic manner across different scenarios.
	4.3 Capability Engineering As Capability Based Planning is implemented by the CF as the corporate methodology for force development a major challenge will be to determine the mix of equipment, personnel, information and doctrines required to meet the capability goals and how to transition in a timely manner while being constrained by budgets, overall force structure and other limitations. Capability Engineering is the collection of methodologies and techniques required for this task. Tools are needed to assist in clarifying the requirement, to define the capability function; to assess the quantity of each option required, to assess cost factors, to determine requirements for personnel and their competencies. Existing methods, processes and tools for rigorous definition, analysis, and development of complex military capabilities will have to be adapted and new tools will need to be developed to support the transformation of the CF.
	4.4 Analysis of Integrating Concepts A number of integrating concepts of various types, including Network Enabled Operations (NEOps) and Effects Based Operations (EBO) are being used to guide development and concepts of operations for the CF. The early assessment of the impact of such integrating concepts on the employment of the CF must necessarily be done without detailed information about the processes and technologies that might support them. By their nature, these integrating concepts bring together not only a range of different capabilities, including the human dimension, but also organizational issues, processes, doctrine, and tactics. Thus an interdisciplinary approach must be used in their analysis. General methodologies for assessing these concepts at a high level and at various stages of their development are needed, in particular, methodologies for assessing capability interdependence and synergies.
	4.5 Analysis of complex systems and concepts The requirement to operate in increasingly complex environments, with large numbers of coalition members, in hostile surroundings, with diverse combatants, using different C2 systems and a large variety of equipment dictates a need to develop new tactics, doctrine and concepts. Technologies to simulate systems with humans embedded in a virtual environment continue to mature and offer unique capabilities to develop, test and evaluate complex systems and concepts and their interactions with variations in operational tactics and doctrines. Future development needs to concentrate on timely simulations and representations with flexibility in reconfiguration so that many concepts can be quickly evaluated for their effects. Emphasis needs to be placed on exploratory modelling techniques to model complex systems and ideas in ways that allow a balance of fidelity and adaptability. Effort must be placed on the development of capability to model goal directed behaviour and performance, individually and collectively, and represent it in synthetic environments.
	4.6 Improvements in multi-purpose capability of new and existing systems Demands for new military capabilities drive the need for new and upgraded equipment and systems. It is often more cost effective to enhance capabilities of existing equipment rather than to purchase new platforms. The challenge is to modify existing systems and equipment or develop or acquire new equipment to meet new operating requirements. This requires an intimate understanding of present equipment combined with knowledge of new developments. Methodologies, including systems engineering, are needed to characterize existing and new capabilities and to predict performance improvements through physical modification or changes in the method of operation of existing systems or through the acquisition of new equipment.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
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. S&T; expertise includes robotics, artificial intelligence and understanding of emergent behaviours of systems of autonomous agents.	5.1 Intelligent Autonomous Systems for operation in complex environments Uninhabited systems are becoming more and more prevalent in all theatres of operation (land, sea, air and urban). Current systems require support and operator input. Force multiplication and operational dominance will be aided when these systems are more autonomous, executing missions and tasks based on their own capabilities and intelligence. Systems will become more autonomous when they can identify and address obstructions and challenges in their environment, identify threats, adversaries and allies, and provide greater support to the operation than is typical of the robotic sensor packages of today. Ultimately, the systems will be able to determine and take correct courses of action, with no intervention from human commanders or controllers. The challenge is to develop environment recognition and course of action algorithms for flexibility, creating mobile integrated systems that can operate autonomously and in support of units and commands.
	5.2 Emergent behaviour of simple autonomous systems Autonomous systems, systems that can run unattended and make limited choices in response to stimuli and instructions, can vary from the very simple to the very complex. Simple systems often have an advantage of lower cost and smaller size although the individual functionality is reduced. However, the cooperative interaction of many simple systems can lead to complex task performance or behaviour (e.g., biological systems such as ant colonies). System concepts that depend on many simple autonomous systems operating together through simple direct or indirect communication among the individuals can accomplish difficult and complex logistical, sensor or tactical tasks. Theories and tools are needed to develop and analyze concepts of synergistic systems and to predict and design emergent behaviours in order to exploit simple autonomous systems in operational theatres.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Mobile Systems An important element of effective engagement is the ability to move troops and place equipment in key locations quickly and efficiently. S&T; 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.	6.1 Condition-based monitoring and prognostic and health management methodologies Mobile platforms like ships, aircraft and armoured vehicles provide the basis for transportation of personnel and equipment as well as sensing platforms. One of the major challenges of ownership is maintaining availability and reliability within the constraints of limited operating budgets. Repair and maintenance of new and aging equipment is a significant cause of down time, particularly with conservative maintenance schedules and unpredicted repairs. The challenge is to understand and predict factors that can lead to failures and to develop methodologies that recommend maintenance and repairs only when needed but before catastrophic failure occurs. Condition-based monitoring systems that make use of embedded sensors and distributed sensor arrays can provide near-real-time information to physics-based prognostic and health management systems. Methods need to be developed to properly interpret incoming data and to incorporate models of the health of platforms into efficient maintenance programs.
	6.2 Integrated platform models and their application Platforms and their components are increasingly being developed to meet multiple functional requirements. Over the life of a platform, individual component functional capabilities deteriorate with time and usage, and at different rates. Advances in materials and platform analysis capabilities over that same time frame should be exploited to better optimize platforms for the requirements of vulnerability, survivability, maintainability, cost-effectiveness and mobility. This opportunity presents itself both in existing platforms, especially where extra measures beyond routine maintenance are needed to extend platform life, and in new construction. The challenge is to integrate the multiple models that describe platform functionality and to make the integrated products usable. One key enabler will be single product-models for whole platforms. The challenge also encompasses advances in materials modelling at a broad range of scales which will enable the exploitation of concurrent design of materials and structures including application to the development of advanced repair technologies. Success will be the demonstrated in the reduction of the cost of platform ownership.
	6.3 Characterization of effects of environment and expanded operating envelope on vehicles Mobile platforms and vehicles are exposed to a wide variety of conditions some of them that have not been anticipated during the design. These can be from extreme environments, from direct attack or from unexpected or new applications of vehicles. The result can be decreased handling performance, long-term deterioration or short-term damage. To improve performance under extreme conditions, the challenge is to characterize the effects of the environment and effects of expansion of the operating envelope. This knowledge then needs to be used to develop methods to control handling qualities, to develop and improve auxiliary systems in the vehicles, to modify the structures and to develop long-term maintenance and repair strategies.
	6.4 Development of efficient energy storage and power sources The provision of fuel and energy to forces in operations is a major component affecting cost and mobility of operations. New electronic systems that provide more capability also create a greater demand for power. The challenge is to develop and exploit new lightweight high-capacity long-life energy sources for applications such as systems on vehicles, soldier-carried systems and sensing systems.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Weapons Systems Modern weapons must be effective against a variety of targets in challenging environments such as urban terrain. S&T; expertise includes identification and characterization of lethal and non-lethal weapons as well as the application of new weapon concepts to meet CF requirements.	7.1 Non-lethal weapons The CF is operating in many theatres that include dangerous mixes of military and civilian belligerents along with friendly personnel. It is often necessary to disable personnel or equipment without causing permanent damage or death. This leads to a new requirement for weapons that can ensure effective performance while minimizing collateral damage. The challenge is to identify potential non-lethal weapons and methods to characterize them, including evaluation of effectiveness, and to develop innovative concepts for these new weapons systems.
	7.2 Assessment of the effects of weapons and weapon systems The CF use and are exposed to weapons that are intended to kill and destroy. There is a need to continually identify and assess new weapons systems and to ensure that their effects are clearly understood both for lethality and protection. The challenge is to anticipate, develop and maintain the capacity and expertise to characterize the effects of weapons that employ traditional means such as explosives and electronics, but also the effects of non-traditional weapons systems of the present and future, such as kinetic energy, chemical, biological and radiological weapons.
	7.3 Tailored precision weapons More precision is required for the destruction of targets than previously because of more complex environments and a greater aversion to collateral damage. Precision also increases efficiency so that fewer resources are needed to accomplish a task. The challenge is to increase the precision of delivery in space, time and effect of weapons as well as to identify new systems and techniques to achieve improved effects.
	7.4 Enhanced weapons systems for complex environments, including urban ops New operating environments, including urban operations, present new challenges to the CF's mobility and ability to produce desired effects. New or enhanced weapons systems are needed to add further capability, including Special Forces. The challenge is to define the unique problems associated with urban and complex operations, to explore technical options for addressing these problems and to develop systems that are practical and effective.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Personnel Protection Personnel of the CF 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 when needed. S&T; expertise includes threat evaluation, diagnostic methods, physical protection and treatment.	8.1 Evaluation and mitigation of hazards from toxic materials, infectious threats and weapons Toxic materials (e.g., CBRN and toxic industrial materials), infections and weapons present major threats to CF and other Canadian personnel in theatres of operation. Effective force protection requires a multi-disciplinary capability to provide proper assessment of the threats, prediction of their effects and the development of strategies and methods to avoid or mitigate them. The challenge is to develop capabilities and techniques that can evaluate the threats, anticipate the threat environments, identify risks and vulnerabilities, predict the probability and extent of exposure, and identify and prove the most effective protective and recovery actions. The best outcome would be to prevent the effects of the weapon or threat, removing the risk and eliminating the advantage the weapon might provide.
	8.2 Diagnostic and Adaptive Systems for Environmental Stresses Operational effectiveness is reduced by the effects of attacks, the environment, disease or the rigours of operations and battle. Prediction and diagnosis are important elements in the treatment of infections, injuries and other operations-related ailments. The challenge is to produce diagnostics and predictive models that anticipate and identify early indicators of infection, injury and operational readiness.
	8.3 Personnel Protection Systems and Signature Reduction Personnel entering areas of known threats need to be physically protected from detection and injury. Known methods include protective systems like body armour, CBR protective suits or camouflage to prevent detection. Personnel may also use shelters (including vehicles and military shelters with collective protection systems) to protect themselves from certain agents. There is a need for greater protection and reduced detection that does not inhibit mobility. The challenge is to produce low-burden protection that adapts to the conditions and systems that reduce vulnerability across the entire spectrum and to develop the capability to assess and improve personnel protection using shelters.
	8.4 Casualty Prevention and Management Prevention and treatment of injury of personnel is critically important to save lives and to maximize operational readiness and tempo. There is a need to ensure that personnel in all operational theatres can be treated using new and proven interventions, treatments and preventative measures to reduce the consequences and course of injury and infection. The challenge is to develop procedures and capabilities that are effective in the field and in support to the field and that require a minimum of equipment and medical support. These will include casualty care provided by an integrated ensemble (e.g., embedded biochips) comprising intelligent diagnostic and treatment systems thus providing autonomous care and self-sustainment.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Protection of Assets Physical structures and infrastructure need to be protected from attack and the environmental damage needs to be minimized during military operations. S&T; expertise includes methodologies for structural survivability, reduced observability and signature management, countermeasures against weapons and equipment decontamination techniques.	9.1 Structures and materials for protection against weapons attacks Platforms, equipment and critical infrastructure need to be protected from weapons attacks during operations. Structures and materials need to be able to withstand fire, impact, shocks, blasts and radiation. The challenge is to identify techniques, materials and structural concepts that can be added to existing equipment or incorporated in new acquisitions to minimize impact on weight and functionality while maximizing protection.
	9.2 Reduced observability through active and passive signature management The first layer of protection for platforms and equipment consists in minimizing the risk of detection in all the spectral domains available to adversaries. The challenge is to design platforms and other equipment to reduce detectable emissions, fields, and reflections and manage the risk of detection, classification and targeting by adversaries. The objective is to be undetectable and unrecognizable against the background and make operational commanders aware of signatures and the effects of their actions on vulnerability. Applying novel materials, modeling, design, construction and shaping can reduce passive signatures. Source level reductions, shielding and shaping can reduce active signatures.
	9.3 Active countermeasures for platform protection Active counter-measures blind and confuse adversary reconnaissance, surveillance and targeting systems; and seduce or deceive adversary weapons, such as missiles, torpedoes and mines. They reduce the adversary's probability of detecting, engaging and hitting CF and friendly platforms. Systems are needed that can adjust to changing engagement priorities, undertake threat assessment, and apply synchronized, multi-platform, cross-spectrum, on-board and off-board, attack and response mechanisms. The effectiveness of our counter-measures depends on our understanding of the vulnerabilities of our adversary's weapon systems.
	9.4 Minimization of impact of military operations, including training, on the environment Long-term sustainability of operations implies a minimal impact on the environment, both during training and deployments. For instance, unexploded ordnances and live fire training generate adverse impact on the battlefield and training ranges. The challenge is to identify technologies that can help to protect the environment while minimizing detrimental effects on operational effectiveness.
	9.5 Decontamination of equipment and structures exposed to toxic and corrosive materials Equipment or facilities that have been exposed to a hazardous environment or attacks from adversaries may be intact but contaminated and unusable. Methodologies and techniques are needed to return the equipment or building to full usability. The challenge is to develop and implement preventative and decontaminating strategies for structures and equipment that have been exposed to toxic or corrosive attacks.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Human Systems Integration Humans are required to interact with more and more complex systems to communicate, obtain information and effect actions. S&T; 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.	10.1 Human performance models for military simulations Readiness for military operations demands training under realistic conditions. Almost all functions of military operation include humans interacting with other humans or with military systems, and increasingly so in complex terrains. The challenge is to develop human behaviour models that can be incorporated into simulation and training systems to accurately represent plausible behaviours of commanders, allies, adversaries and non-combatants. Such models can also improve realism of combat situations for operational analyses (e.g., war-gaming) and concept development.
	10.2 Human Systems Integration (HSI) Technology and automation have become critical elements of every element of military activity. However, the role of the human remains paramount and the interaction of humans and technological aids is critical to mission accomplishment. Net-enabled, effects-based operations will place ever-increasing emphasis on the design of agile, socio-technical systems that allow acquisition and concept development to be both more timely and more effectively goal directed. The challenge of Human Systems Integration is to create innovative tools, techniques and methods that seamlessly work with the systems engineering and concept development processes to truly integrate knowledge of human capabilities and limitations. Ultimately, advances in neuro-physiological monitoring will be harnessed to develop smart interfaces that monitor an operator's cognitive performance and brain status via a suite of neuro-physiological measures and allow direct control of operational systems.
	10.3 Monitoring, predicting and enhancing psycho-physiological readiness The spectrum of military operations represents a complex interaction of acute stressors (environmental stress, fatigue, uncertainty) that impact immediate physical and cognitive functioning (work performance, situational awareness, decision making), as well as chronic stressors (chronic deployment stress & OPTEMPO, moral and ethical dilemmas) that impact the long-term operational effectiveness of personnel (health, deployment rates, retention). Methods are needed to predict and improve performance under acutely and chronically stressful conditions. The challenge is to identify biological and psychological processes that affect short and long-term operational effectiveness and to identify and design new intervention strategies (selection and training, holistic/pharmaceutical interventions) that will optimize the level of physical, psychological and mental readiness, capability, and resilience of CF personnel.
	10.4 Increased effectiveness and efficiency of the CF HR system Effective recruitment, training and personnel assessment is crucial to support of CF operations. As the CF undergoes transformation, the HR system also needs to transform to support the changes and to provide timely recruitment and training. The challenge is to develop operational concepts, techniques and tools that will lead to a more efficient way of providing HR services to the CF and other DND personnel.
	10.5 Distributed, adaptable, and on-demand learning, training and rehearsal Tactical and operational success demands CF capability of timely, affordable, and effective learning. In particular, full operational control of a transformed and integrated CF charged with an expanded variety of missions will require distributed and adaptable training capabilities. The challenge is to advance technologies and psychological techniques for deployable training and rehearsal that facilitates rapid deployment into a Joint Interoperable Multinational Public environment including interoperability with allies and cultural awareness.

Table B-2 - Description of Areas of S&T; Expertise and S&T; Challenges
S&T; EXPERTISE	S&T; CHALLENGE
Behavioural 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. S&T; expertise includes understanding of motivation, communication, cultural effects, leadership and cooperation.	11.1 Understanding, prediction and influence of adversaries' intent The focus of Effects Based Operations is to influence adversaries in the world theatre by understanding their position and intent. Terrorism involves non-state groups and organizations, often represented at the point of attack by a small group of individuals or even one individual, using a wide variety of tactics and weapons, some sophisticated and some not. The challenge is to understand the many contributing factors influencing adversary motivation, including politics, religion, economics, and personal freedoms. This understanding will help achieve countermeasure and deterrent strategies to pre-empt hostile activity (i.e., effect-based outcomes).
	11.2 Strategies for promoting collaborative behaviour among teams, agencies, organizations, and societies Future crises will require the CF to work effectively with various government and non-government organizations and agencies. International conflicts will involve joint operations and multinational coalition forces embedded in diverse social and cultural settings. Accordingly, planning and decision-making in future CF operations will involve collaborative work, often in distributed (Network Enabled Operations) and ad-hoc teams. The challenge is to understand key psycho-social aspects of collaborative work (e.g., effective leadership and teamwork behaviours, establishing and maintaining shared intent and situation awareness, and fostering a climate of trust) and to develop methods and models to foster collaborative behaviour. One of the key elements is the establishment and maintenance of trust within teams, across organizations such as the CF and among organizations such as allies.
	11.3 Selection and development of leaders and members consistent with the ethos of the CF The CF is operating in more complex, ambiguous international operations (including the three-block war context). CF members and leaders must be fundamentally integrated in terms of attitudes, motivation, responsibility and commitment and their decisions must reflect the values espoused in Duty with Honour. The challenge is to develop policies and methods, for selecting, socializing and educating members from an increasingly diverse Canadian society to ensure alignment with the military ethos of the CF while keeping the appropriate balance between cohesion and diversity.
	11.4 Strategic Outlook - Tools and models to analyze and assess implications of changes in national and international policy, socio-economic trends and political climate Future scenarios and operations of the CF will be influenced by changes in national and international policy, socio-economic trends or forces and political climate. Better assessments are needed of the effects of these changes on world conditions and on future scenarios that the CF are likely to face. The challenge is to develop better strategic analysis tools to identify and monitor key indicators and to anticipate futures to support operating concepts such as Effects Based Operations.

⁶ This list of Areas of S&T; Expertise and the corresponding S&T; Challenges were generated with consultation within the department during 2005 but they are subject to periodic review when new requirements are defined or strategic guidance is issued.

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