Federal Science and Technology: The Pursuit of Excellence - Appendix

Defence Research and Development Canada

Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) has undergone significant transformation and, since becoming a special operating agency in 2000, has emerged as a revitalized leading S&T organization. At its six centres, DRDC delivers excellence in leading-edge research, technology and analysis for the Canadian Forces, so that they can respond to the new realities of military operations and plan for the future.

The Defence Technology Investment Strategy defines DRDC’s niche areas of R&D excellence, and is currently being implemented across the organization. The Technology Demonstration Program demonstrates the role of technology in defence solutions, while the Technology Investment Fund Program supports research in high-risk, high-payoff technology applications. Technology Outlook is providing foresight and advice on potentially disruptive and emerging technologies that are likely to impact defence and national security.

DRDC centres are well linked internationally as key players in the Technical Cooperation Program and the NATO Research and Technology Organization, and through bilateral and multilateral collaborations with the U.S., the U.K., Australia, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden. On the national scene, they play a leadership role in horizontal S&T collaborative initiatives involving other government organizations, industry and universities. After the terrorist attacks of 2001, DRDC added several important initiatives to its counterterrorism R&D work. One example is the Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative (CRTI), which now has 41 collaborative projects funded from the $7.7-billion national security program announced in the 2002 federal budget.

DRDC is now well situated to respond to S&T issues in the areas of defence, security, intelligence and the national innovation agenda. To ensure interoperability with allies, the Canadian Forces of the future must embrace technology-driven warfare as they embark on a major transformation of their combat capabilities based on knowledge-age technologies. New capabilities will be required to deal with asymmetric threats such as weapons of mass destruction and information (cyber) and biological/chemical attacks. DRDC is taking a leadership role in the transformation process by providing assessment, analysis and advice on relevant technologies, and by applying and enabling the adoption of R&D results. DRDC will augment its scientific capacity and provide the Canadian Forces with more than they fund by leveraging DRDC capabilities.

Major Achievements

Moving the Boundaries of Science and Technology

The soldier of the future — The soldier of the future will be equipped with state-of-the-art sensors, aids for aiming weapons, and computers with visual, auditory, and vibro-tactile displays — more like something out of science fiction than a warrior of the past. Developed with the assistance of modeling and simulation tools created by DRDC, these technologies will be delivered to Canadian soldiers in an intuitive, easy-to-use package that will optimize their effectiveness and survivability on the battlefield.

Through-the-wall sensing — Although still in its infancy, any innovation that allows for increased and safer detection of potential threats will garner a great deal of attention. Through-the-wall technologies offer such benefits, using radar technology to reveal, from a distance, the main contents of another room or space. It is a promising field for DRDC, with current research focussing on the development of different types of capabilities. Distanced radars, mobile radars on robots or drone vehicles, and multistatic configurations that also permit covert listening are being tested.

Innovative Solutions for the Canadian Forces

Neutralizing voice distortion — For diving operations in deep water — such as those made by the Navy as part of drug recovery missions in 1993 and 1995, or when assisting after the 1998 Swiss Air tragedy — a mix of helium and oxygen is used to escape the disabling effects of nitrogen under pressure. The problem with using helium is voice distortion, making communications with the surface difficult. DRDC has been working with the Communications Research Centre in Ottawa to counter this problem with a small system that can remove the distortion in the diver’s voice.

Reducing ship signatures — Ships and their crews stand a greater chance of survival if they can avoid being detected by weapons activated by a ship’s electromagnetic field. DRDC has proposed a new methodology, based on ship degaussing, that decomposes the ship’s total magnetization into components, each one related to the orientation of the degaussing coils.

Protection against snipers — Canadian Forces may soon have better protection against snipers, thanks to technology developed at DRDC Valcartier. FERRET is a passive acoustic system for the detection and localization of small arms fire. The system is composed of a 3-D microphone array mounted on the rear of the turret on a Coyote. A controller inside the vehicle turret processes the sound signals and displays the results on a hand-held terminal providing a graphical and numerical display. A successful trial at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown in May 2003 demonstrated the maturity of the FERRET Small Arms Detection System, a key component of the Valcartier Defensive Aids Suite Project.

Defence Research and Development Canada and the Environment

Protecting the right whale — The concern that underwater acoustic signals could harm marine mammals has increased over the past few years, mainly with regard to military active sonars and seismic surveys. Whether in support of mitigation measures, or in the larger context of marine mammal studies, there has been significant research on detecting, locating and tracking whales. DRDC and Dalhousie University are finding the best method of tracking right whales in the Bay of Fundy near Grand Manan Island — an area that happens to be the endangered right whales’ preferred habitat, as well as a principal shipping lane — and developing collision-avoidance techniques and equipment.

Revising the wind chill using human data — Scientists knew that the wind chill index was not perfect. Following an international workshop on the subject, where DRDC played a critical role, Environment Canada and the U.S. Office of the Federal Coordinator for Meteorology decided to develop a Wind Chill Revision Program to update and correct the index, using human data. Scientists from DRDC, who were involved with a similar program supported by the Canadian Forces, were invited to take the lead. Using modeling, mannequins and human testing, a new Wind Chill Index and Frostbite Guide were developed, validated, and launched across Canada and the U.S., attracting much attention.

Security and Counterterrorism

Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Research and Technology Initiative — The lead element of the plan to further Canada’s national security capabilities is a $170-million, five-year program called the CRTI, managed by DRDC on behalf of the Government of Canada. This initiative represents a key element in the Department of National Defence/Canadian Forces’ Conducting Operations goal to enhance their “overall capability to respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear threats.” The aim of the CRTI is to improve Canada’s capacity in these areas by encouraging and strengthening leading-edge research and partnerships.

Public Security Technical Program — DRDC is leading the development of the Public Security Technical Program (PSTP) to mobilize S&T resources to address public-security and critical-infrastructure-protection challenges by integrating expertise across disciplines and departments, with partners including academia and industry. This program also provides a mechanism for Canada–U.S. collaboration in public security S&T. Discussions with the U.S. are well underway, with the agreement to expand the Smart Border Accord to include biosecurity and S&T for border security.

Counter-Terrorism Technology Centre — The work of DRDC’s Counter-Terrorism Technology Centre (CTTC) includes training first responders to handle a biological or chemical incident (detection, identification, handling and decontamination of live agents). This training consists of practical work in controlled settings. The CTTC also assesses and evaluates equipment for use by first responders, and provides an evaluation site for similar testing by industry.

Defence Research and Development Canada’s strategy — DRDC has embarked on an initiative to articulate its strategy and to put in place a system to help it execute the strategy. DRDC’s Strategy Map employs a balanced scorecard with four perspectives: customer, value for money, internal, and foundation. There are two or three strategic objectives associated with each perspective; these are the areas where DRDC must excel in order to realize its mission and achieve its vision.

Contact Information
Director, Science and Technology Policy
Defence Research and Development Canada
Department of National Defence
Tel.: (613) 992-7665
Web site: www.drdc-rddc.gc.ca