The new Defence Industry Development Strategy is out.
https://lnkd.in/gbXsE46b
There is a lot to read, but I have a particular interest in the document:
SDIP 5 - Development and integration of autonomous systems
It mentions the development of the Ghost Bat and Ghost Shark.
It lists the components of an Autonomous System:
Vehicle, Propulsion, System architecture, Guidance and control, Mission payloads, Control segments, Autonomous enablers
And the steps in the industrial capability lifecycle:
1. Innovation, Science & Technology
2. Design & Development
3. Integration & Adaptation
4. Manufacture & Assembly
5. Sustainment & Support
And then creates two tables for Epoch 1 (2023-25) and Epoch 2 (2026-30). I have attached the table for Epoch 2, which highlights the priorities of Defence Australia
And I am happy to see that there are plans to Manufacture and Assemble the Guidance and Controls Systems in Australia - which includes guidance and control unique to each operating domain, such as autonomous navigation, position, timing and autonomous teaming behaviours.
For me this answers the question of "Who is actually going to build the box?"
https://lnkd.in/gFfEnU_b
However, I am concerned that there are no plans for the control segments - which includes situational awareness, human machine interface, computer vision, autonomy enabling sensors such as radar, light detection and ranging (LIDAR), depth perception and passive sensing.
Nor the Autonomous enablers – which includes digital engineering and digital twins, artificial intelligence, machine learning, mission rehearsal and simulation, and operational analysis.
Perhaps it would be useful to have included a 3rd Epoch (2031-2040), but what is really missing is the role of software in this plan.
Who will be writing the software?
Tech Council of Australia ?
This was the subject of my article "Software in Manufacturing".
https://lnkd.in/eJimxEFM
and the issue of software embedded in the product.
When we talk of the Guidance and Controls Systems - are we just talking about the hardware - or are we talking about the software that resides in the hardware - because this would come under Control Segments and/or the Autonomous Enablers of AI and ML.
To put it another way - if I am an Australian who writes navigation software (which I was) which box am I in and should I be concerned?
For me this is a very important question because IMHO Sovereign Capability is the nation that controls its own AI (software).
And this is a very important question for the many Australian Robotics SME who manufacture guidance and controls systems for robots
Robotics Australia Group
And whether these robots can be made in Australia.
https://lnkd.in/gwY_NqJs
#AustralianMadeRobots
This will have an impact upon the National Robotics Strategy.
#nationalRoboticsStrategy
Innovation Manager Unmanned Systems - Concept Development & Experimentation bij Ministerie van Defensie
4moNLD MoD is willing and able to provide multiple platforms / our Swarm for testing with pLTE/P5G 👍🏼