Unique roadmapping exercise seeks to provide soldiers with superior technology

Initiative draws massive response

There's been an overwhelming response to a unique, software-driven roadmapping initiative that seeks to match the future requirements of the Canadian soldier in the field with technologies emanating from industry, academia and government labs. Since its launch more than two years ago, more than 1,500 people have attended a series of workshops to learn about the complex technology requirements of the military with several companies already collaborating on R&D projects.

The Soldier Systems Technology Roadmap (SSTRM) is a joint Industry Canada/Department of National Defence initiative that has attracted the participation of experts and industry representatives from 18 countries seeking early and detailed notification on the soldier systems technologies that may be required in the future.

"This is our sweet spot. Soldier systems is a growing field (and) we're already feeding ideas back into our own internal processes. Connections are being made," says Rick Bowes, director of business development (Land C4ISR Systems) at DRS Technologies Canada, which has more than 450 employees at three Ontario locations. "We're already looking at building a new product capability with two other companies we met (at the workshops)."

Technology roadmapping has evolved as a tried-and-true method for information exchange, but SSTRM bumps up the process several notches with the introduction several software products including the federal government's first public-facing WIKI which has been combined with a database based on DND's needs and offers from industry. A key objective is to identify technologies to fill in gaps in the capability of a dismounted soldier and match those with technologies being considered or in development by industry. The SSTRM lays out six key interrelated technology domains and 20 priority focus areas in which DND is seeking proposals

"This is a very impressive process. It's methodical, has a good governance structure and has held innovative workshops," says David Watters, president, Global Advantage Consulting Group Inc, and a former senior civil servant who was hired to write a report on SSTRM's development phase. "The remarkable aspect is that this incents a bunch of technologies that make up a system. It's an integrative whole that could be thousands of technologies. There's a strong logic to it."

Approximately two-third of the participants in the SSTRM came from industry, with two-third of those representing small- and medium-sized enterprises. What is starting to emerge is an ecosystem of companies that are learning how to collaborate with one another as well as with academia and government scientists towards a common goal of targeted technology development and exploitation.

"The response from industry has been overwhelming. Sometimes you could see people out in the halls making deals with small and medium enterprise they may have never heard of before," says Lt Col Mike Bodner, director of S&T (land) at Defence Research and Development Canada (DRDC) and SSTRM's lead on the DND side. "This has never been done before. It's unique on the planet, quite frankly. No one else in NATO is doing this. I've been watching this for over a decade and there's a fair amount of interest from our allies."

For Geoff Nimmo, SSTRM's prime architect and manager of Industry Canada's Technology Roadmap Secretariat, the connections between industry and exposure to potential markets around the world are two of the key objectives of his department's participation in the initiative.

"You're getting real success stories out of SMEs getting together under the soldier systems banner and coming up with good ideas," says Nimmo, who has managed over 35 roadmaps at Industry Canada. "We're hoping that they (industry) are going to go back, look at their R&D for the coming months and years and determine if they are in a position or would like to put forward an R&D project based on what DND is looking for."

As SSTRM moves into a three-year pilot implementation phase, officials have made it clear to industry that this is not a procurement program and that DND's needs might change over time. But that did little to dampen industry enthusiasm for participating in the process even though there is no funding associated with the initiative.

"There are a number of government innovation programs running the technology readiness level from basic (NSERC) to the other end of the spectrum like the ... Canadian Innovation Commercialization Program," says Nimmo. "There are about 250 programs — federal and provincial — that assist in the implementation of technology roadmaps."

Watters says that while he's generally impressed with SSTRM, the believes the lack of funding could be a detriment.

"SSTRM would perform better if there were a pot of money around which projects can coalesce. But it's a tough fiscal environment," he says

Perhaps the greatest benefit to participating in an Internet-driven, open innovation environment like SSTRM is its exposure to the global S&T and military communities within NATO and beyond.

"(Countries) all have the same challenges of integration and interoperability. If you've got a good Canadian product, good Canadian S&T, or you partner with other companies offshore, it's a world wide market," says Bodner. "It isn't just NATO countries. There are third world nations that are after this stuff."

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