Page 160 - Australian Defence Magazine Sep-Oct 2022

160 FROM THE SOURCE LTGEN SIMON STUART
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2022 | WWW.AUSTRALIANDEFENCE.COM.AU
and then of course hard kill systems like APS. APS will form a part of protecting the combined arms system but it’s really important to look at it holistically and make sure that the system is protected and, of course, the way in which we operate, our tactical competence, our ability to integrate with joint and combined sensing and targeting systems, and to use the full capability of the joint force to protect our force elements is the way we’re approaching the problem.
ADM: What role will autonomy play in the future?
LTGEN STUART: To quote William Ford-Gibson “the future is here now, it’s just not very evenly distributed”. We are em- ploying autonomy today. We are learning by doing and au- tonomy is one of four key emerging technology areas that we are applying across all aspects of Army capability. There are robotics and autonomous systems, artificial intelligence and machine learning, quantum technology and a range of tech- nologies that contribute to optimise human performance.
We’re doing this in partnership. Our key partners are the Defence Science and Technology Group, a range of academic institutions and industry. Industry is really im- portant in this and we have partnered with a whole range of phenomenally innovative, very small and small and me- dium enterprises that exist in the Australian defence in- dustry ecosystem and beyond. It’s a team effort.
For example, a few years ago we established the RICO, the Robotics and Autonomous Systems Implementation Coordination Office, as the focal point to make sure we co- ordinate our efforts and apply a ‘learn by doing’ approach. And there’s a very long list of things that we have done and are doing to develop a leader-follower technology; the
ABOVE: Four Australian Army Tiger armed reconnaissance helicopters join HMAS Adelaide for Exercise Sea Explorer 22
optional crewed combat vehicle work, fielding a combat team on Exercise Koolendong last year, 3D printing to de- velop tools and spare parts for our equipment. We’re using a whole range of different robots at the tactical level for a range of different functions: neurolinguistic programming in terms of applying AI and machine learning to help peo- ple do their job. We rolled out a trial of seven MakerSpac- es and IXGs, or Innovation Experimentation Groups, and they’re aimed at leveraging the phenomenal potential and innovation of our people. The IXGs provide the design and the thinking skills and then a MakerSpace provides the space and the tools for them to practically apply thinking and design to the operational problems they face on a day- to-day basis. We want to do some more of that, connecting our people with the resources they need to innovate.
A great example is at this years’ Chief of Army Sympo- sium with the electric PMV and a range of forums where we will seek to focus team efforts with industry, academia and DSTG on the key problems of the day. So, we’ll run the second Army Robotics Exposition and Quantum Technol- ogy Challenge as part of CAS this year and, of course, the 9th Annual Army Innovation Day. That’s just a short list of just some of the things we have been doing over several years now and it’s certainly ramping up into the future.
But to summarise, robotics and autonomous systems and those other key news and emerging technologies are being applied today and enhancing the capability of our Army.
ADM: Given the lessons from Ukraine and particularly the logistics burden, is there an urgency to solve that with autonomy?
LTGEN STUART: Yes, there is and we’re doing it today. In fact, I was out with our team at 1 Brigade and some of the other Darwin units just yesterday and there are a whole range of things that they are doing to reduce, as you say,
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