INTRODUCTION

In response to the defence and security challenges facing Canada today, the Canadian Forces are undergoing transformation, guided by the principles of command-centric leadership, Canadian Forces culture, operational focus, clear authorities and responsibilities, and integration of military, both regular force and reserve, and civilian personnel. In parallel, the Department of National Defence is working to maintain effective and efficient alignment between the department and the transformed Canadian Forces, while responding to broader government direction.

Science and Technology (S&T;) is a driver for change in the 21^st century. It contributes directly to the advancement of military capabilities. It affects the global geo-political and economic systems which shape Canada's interests and, indirectly, the roles assigned to its military. S&T; must be harnessed in the 21^st century to contribute to Canada's defence and security priorities.

Through the investment made in S&T;, the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Forces acknowledge the important role that S&T; plays in contributing to the Canadian Forces and departmental agendas.

The Defence S&T; Strategy establishes the conditions to maximize the impact of the departmental S&T; investment as a force multiplier to provide the Canadian Forces with a decisive advantage. It is the means to realize the full potential of the investment by ensuring it is both aligned with the nation's defence and security priorities, and is duly supportive of the defence institution and its core business processes. The strategy is shaped by the goals of both Canadian Forces transformation and defence institutional alignment and positions the S&T; investment to serve the needs of the Canadian Forces and the department, now and into the future.

Science and technology is a driver for change in the 21st century. It contributes directly to the advancement of military capabilities.

This strategy outlines the strategic context within which the Canadian Forces and the department operate and the role that S&T; plays in this context. It articulates the expectations placed on the departmental S&T; investment, specifically as viewed through the lens of the core processes by which the department and the Canadian Forces function. The concept of the Defence S&T; Enterprise (including a governance and management framework) serves a central role to the strategy's approach of ensuring maximum impact from the investment. Finally, the strategy identifies measures of success and the actions to guide its implementation. The actions are introduced in side boxes within the related S&T; strategy issues and then all actions are addressed in detail in "Actions for Implementation" on page 18.

The shelf-life of the strategy is expected to be in the order of five years, whereupon it will be refreshed in the context evident at that time.

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