Future Force Design

Description

Develop and design the future force through a deep understanding of the future operating environment and security risks to Canada and Canadian interests. Enhance Defence’s ability to identify, prevent, adapt and respond to a wide range of contingencies through collaborative innovation networks and advanced research.

Planning highlights

The future security environment presents a vast array of complex defence and security challenges that transcend national borders. In order to keep pace with our allies, and potential adversaries, it is imperative that the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) prioritize efforts to design our future force.

Future force planning is a long-term and continuous activity that seeks to address future threats and defence and security challenges with innovative solutions to defence capability requirements. This will be accomplished through the Capability Based Planning Process, which produces the Force Capability Plan. The Force Capability Plan directs force development activities across the CAF over time such that capability investment can be delivered as planned under SSE. In this manner, the Force Capability Plan guides and bounds the Capital Investment Program Plan Review prioritization and serves to align capability development activities.

Effective Innovation is critical for modern armed forces operating in a highly complex, increasingly contested global security environment. To be successful, Department of National Defence (DND) must exploit every type of advantage. This means promoting innovation across all National Defence organizations not only regarding new technologies, such as the emerging space and cyber domains, but also including the modernization of the business of defence.

Through the Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security Program, we are supporting innovation by complementing our existing research programs with a business model that will increase access and engagement to innovators within the academic and private sector research and development communities. This program will foster an environment that challenges innovators to develop solutions to defence and security, allowing a diversity of innovators to approach challenges from different perspectives enabling National Defence to select the approach that best supports our objectives and capability.

Departmental Result 4.1 – Defence capabilities are designed to meet future threats

• Advance work to examine the force structure to ensure we have the right balance of regular, reserve and civilian members in the right roles and missions. This work includes developing a new vision for the Reserve Force in order to enhance its capabilities and role within the CAF.
• Develop and implement a range of remotely piloted systems including the necessary policy direction that will respect Canada’s obligations under domestic and international law, and the appropriate doctrine for armed and unarmed systems.
• Continue to work closely with Public Safety to inform and advance their new Cyber Security Strategy and, in collaboration with other government departments, continue to develop and refine a security framework for cyber threats. This will include working with our allies to strengthen our approach to collective defence and the employment of cyber capabilities.
• Advance research in the future of cyber warfare to improve and strengthen both defensive and offensive capabilities.
• Improve the alignment of Canadian efforts between our Capability Based Planning Process and the NATO Defence Planning Process.
• Continued participation in the Five Eyes: Quinquepartite Combined Joint Warfare Conference activities related to the Future Operating Environment.
• In close coordination and cooperation with the United States Department of Defense, ensure DND and the CAF are able to conduct future surveillance, detection and warning activities to meet NORAD commitments through the joint efforts to renew the North Warning System, a component of the North America Surveillance Network.
• Continue to be an active partner with the United States Department of Defense in the development, fielding and utilization of future systems of systems, including improved interoperability and compatibility, to ensure NORAD is able to provide adequate warning and defence against attacks on either country.
• Enhance intelligence collection, analysis and fusion capabilities to provide the analytical basis and knowledge to anticipate foreseeable changes in the threat and security environment and to determine the associated demand for capabilities across near- and long-term time horizons. These capabilities will enable evidence-based strategic decisions that align the introduction, modification and divestment of capabilities and guide the application of existing capabilities.

• Conceive and design joint communications and information systems, specifically for integrated information and telecommunications, integrating existing and future assets into a networked, joint system-of-systems that will enable the flow of information among multiple, interconnected platforms and operational headquarters.

Planned results

Notes:

1. * Based on a 3 point rated assessment where: a rating of 1 indicates the Future Security Environment (FSE) Assessment is published on time or remains valid; a rating of 2 indicates the FSE Assessment) requires minor amendments due to changes in societal, technological and related defence and security trends; a rating of 3 indicates the FSE Assessment requires significant amendments due to changes in societal, technological and related defence and security trends.
2. ** Based on a 3 point rated assessment where: a rating of 1indicates the Force Capability Plan (FCP) and Departmental Investment Plan are published on time or remain valid; a rating of 2 indicates the FCP and Departmental Investment Plan require minor amendments due to changes in defence policy, the Future Security Environment (FSE) and/or the Future Operating Environment (FOE); a rating of 3 indicates the FCP and Departmental Investment Plan require notable amendments due to changes in defence policy, the FSE and/or the FOE.
3. For more information about National Defence performance indicators, please visit GC InfoBase ^xxxii.

Joint Non-munitions Effects Experiment

Departmental Result 4.2 – Defence and security challenges are addressed through innovative solutions

• Advance the implementation of the new Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security Program to address defence and security challenges by recruiting innovators, industry, academia and other organizations to provide innovative solutions.
• Prioritize Arctic Joint Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance as a defence research and development priority to produce innovative solutions to surveillance challenges in the North.
• Contribute science and technology related activities and knowledge expertise to whole-of-government initiatives and special event planning, such as the 2018 G7 Summit.

• Examine alternative energy options and their potential use for operations including reducing electrical energy consumption at deployed camps, using cleaner fuels, designing more efficient soldier equipment, and providing more efficient power solutions for operations.

Planned results

Note: For more information about National Defence performance indicators, please visit GC InfoBase ^xxxiii.

Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS)

As outlined in Strong, Secure, Engaged, Canada’s defence policy, IDEaS commits to investing $1.6 billion in innovations for defence and security over the next 20 years. The program fosters an open innovation ecosystem to provide creative thinkers with the structure and support to drive their science and technology solutions, which will help assist in solving some of Canada’s toughest defence and security challenges.