Preserving capacity, General Tom Lawson, Chief of the Defence Staff, Keys to Canadian SAR
Issue link: http://vanguardcanada.uberflip.com/i/1498834
A fter successfully hosting the ninth annual C4ISR and Beyond conference in Ottawa this past January, planning is underway for number 10. It's hard to believe we're into double digits, and it's been so enjoyable to think back on all our readers who have attended, presented, displayed and taken the stage over the years. It's also been humbling to consider the commitment made by industry, govern- ment, academia and the Armed Forces to maintain the conference's value. It's the coming together of the eco-system that makes effective Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelli- gence, Surveillance and Reconnaisance (C4ISR) possible. And it's always a pro- ductive look into how we can improve together. I had a chance to speak with two of the conference's advisors to get their reflec- tions on the last decade, their experience this year, and their aspirations for the con- ference's future. A clear mission LGen (Ret'd) Stu Beare attended the first conference in January 2014 as Com- mander of the newly formed Canadian Joint Operations Command. "At the time, our C4ISR was lagging in interoperability and too reliant on others," said Beare. "This was because neither De- fence Policy nor the Defence services pro- gram saw C4ISR as vital. Procurements were centered on parts (ingredients, net- works, and equipment) instead of systems (people, process and technology)." Beare described that first conference as an introduction to the technology in the marketplace. And he said that while a de- sire for better cooperation and collabora- tion between CAF, DND and industry were expressed at the conference, not much came of it. "Since then, the conference has tracked and addressed significant changes in the C4ISR and BEYOND REFLECTIONS ON A DECADE – AND MORE TO COME C 4 I S R & B E Y O N D B Y T E R R I PAV E L I C RAdm Jeff Zwick, Chief of Combat Systems Integration CCSI LGen (Ret'd) Stu Beare global defence and security environment, and the associated effects on effective- ness as Armed Forces. It has accounted for changes in Defence policy, as well as the strategies and procurements driven by these. It has highlighted and shone light on key capability needs and imperatives across the Armed Forces. And it is all-in on the pivot to Digital (people, process, and technology) as key to performance, in- teroperability, resilience, and security." "Most importantly, the conference leaned into the CAF's need to go digital. To that end, it now invites and rallies our community of practitioners, force devel- opers and capability providers to grow a more interconnected eco-system of re- quirements, procurement, technology and systems integrator actors." The change in approach has changed the entire C4ISR and Beyond experience. Conference contributors and attendees have shifted focus from problems to digi- tal solutions, and what must happen for them to succeed. "For me, C4ISR and Beyond has in im- portant role in driving the 'how do we..' conversation " said Beare. "It's become a catalyst for finding the answers and help- ing lead them to action within and across industry, and alongside CAF leaders, op- erators, force developers, project teams, procurement staff and mission partners". Strong leadership Given the need to operate pan-domain, multi-national and multi-agency, from below the threshold contests to full- fledged combat, and as we procure the latest in Fighters, Sub Surface Warfare, Air Defence and more, LGen Beare says we need to see better C4ISR capability de- livered across the CAF, from strategy to tactical, alongside the national security en-