26 October 2004 MIND THE GAP - CLOSE THE GAP: MEETING THE NATION’S NEED FOR DEFENCE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY PRESENTED BY THE CSIR

26 October 2004 Purpose of Submission 1.To indicate the gap between Government’s initial policy position and the implementation status of Defence Science, Engineering and technology (SET) 2.To highlight emergent policy and direction, including developments in SET policy 3.To propose a way to close the gap

26 October 2004 Introduction: Changing Scenario for Defence  Increased involvement in peace support operations (PSO) poses new challenges to the science, engineering and technology (SET) support base of DoD  Rapid technological advances leading to new threats, challenges and opportunities  Gap developing between available SET and required SET capabilities

26 October 2004 Introduction: Defence SET  Increasing importance of Defence SET- base as an integral part of national SET- base: –Represents a leading component of National System of Innovation –Should play a leading role in promoting SET across Africa in line with African Union and NePAD principles –Important role to play in promoting human security

26 October 2004 Policy guidance for defence SET  White Paper on Defence (1996): –SANDF balanced, modern, affordable and technologically advanced military force –Government will not endanger lives of military through the provision of inadequate or inferior equipment  White Paper on Defence-Related Industry (1999): –Limited self-sufficiency in certain strategic armaments production and supporting technologies to be maintained

26 October 2004 White Paper on Defence-Related Industry: Strategic Technology Retention  Government will consider retaining strategic, non-profitable facilities in public sector. This includes: –Defence research and development facilities –Test ranges and test laboratories  Defence Industry driven by military-technical considerations  Technology of strategic importance will be retained by public funding in a Defence Evaluation and Research Institute (DERI)

26 October 2004 DoD Budget Vote: (8 Jun 04)  White Paper on Defence Industry to be reviewed: – ‘We must guarantee ongoing work in research and development without which SA will not be able to maintain our leading position..’ –Approach informed by the need to increase collaboration with nations of the South

26 October 2004 National Research and Development Strategy (August 2002)  Highlights President’s envisaged increase in governmental spending on human resource development in science and technology as well on research and development  Double government spending on science and technology in real terms over three years

26 October 2004 Recent SET Policy Developments  Minister of Trade & Industry announced a dedicated aerospace and defence industry support initiative –Will unlock potential of sector which is considered key for stimulating investment and economic growth –Initiative will include establishing national aerospace centres of excellence

26 October 2004 Identifying the GAP In the light of the preceding policy directions, the Gap is the absence of: An appropriate national defence SET organisation A regulatory framework A national defence SET strategy High level SET champions Proper alignment between defence SET, DST and DTI SET initiatives

26 October 2004 Consequences of the GAP  Losing critical technology capabilities and slipping back to become a technology colony  Not replacing the white and greying senior scientists and engineers with a new generation of leading edge technical contributors and systems engineers on which our future defence and industrial competitiveness will be build  Not harnessing the capabilities of defence SET optimally for the nation

26 October 2004 Need for Defence SET  Most democracies have publicly owned and funded Defence SET capabilities  Formulation of a national defence technology strategy will prevent technological isolation and dependence on foreign military equipment suppliers (becoming a technology colony)

26 October 2004 Required SET Support to DoD  Smart Buyer –During procurement and acquisition  Smart User –Optimum adaptation to changing requirements and environments  Smart Decision-Maker –Develop insights derived from sound scientific, engineering and technological analyses All the above underpinned by the state’s ‘in-house’ defence research capability

26 October 2004 Required Characteristics for Defence SET Capability  Trustworthy by being knowledgeable, impartial and acting with integrity  Accessible to DoD  Sustainable financially  Required people and facilities  SET culture and career path structures  Mandated by DoD with regard to delivery channels and processes  Managing Intellectual Property without conflict of interest

26 October 2004 Need for DERI  SA currently does not have a single mandated Defence SET grouping (referred to as SADERI in WPoDRI)  We have a small SA SET-base and can not afford current fragmented approach –International experience indicates that a single semi-governmental organisation is best suited to maintain required SET capability above critical mass –Needs government-appointed governance structures –Needs to be financially supported

26 October 2004 Recommendations 1.Additional chapter in White Paper on Defence to ensure closing the gap on the generation, retention and application of Defence SET 2.Consolidation of existing State-Owned Defence SET capabilities into a central DERI – the SADERI

26 October 2004 Recommendations (Cont) 3.Expand the Role and Functions of SADERI: –Training of Defence SET leadership and transferring Defence SET skills to others on continent –Aligning Defence SET with DST policy – structure involvement according to type 1,2 and 3 research –Use leading-edge nature of Defence SET to assist in development of human resource base for other government policy instruments –Integrate Defence SET into National System of Innovation –Be custodian of national Defence SET capabilities –Use the defence SET base to make impact in human security as much as in state security

26 October 2004 Recommendations (Cont) 4.Create the position of Chief of Defence SET:  Needed because of increasing scope and complexity of Defence SET  Central DERI should have board of governance: Representatives from DoD, DTI, DST and other stakeholders Chief of Defence SET to chair board Reports to wider stakeholder community  Chief of Defence SET should act as scientific adviser to Minister of Defence  Governance of Defence SET at appropriate level

26 October 2004 Recommendations (Cont) 5.Expand SET-base to ensure that Defence R & D initiatives attract people to SET careers in line with national HRD policy and grow a new generation of defence scientists and engineers 6.Budget allocation to be wider than DoD Defence Research and Development Board budget and acquisition projects to maximise the benefit of our defence SET base to the nation.

26 October 2004 Questions And Discussion Thank You