Global Security Challenge Conference - 24 October 2006
Minister for Defence Procurement, Lord Drayson, addresses the Global Security Challenge Conference
Lord Drayson, Minister for Defence Procurement
The Defence sector is risk free - safe but dull. It's dominated by the 'big boys'. The usual household names that even your granny has heard of. Civil servants call the shots when it comes to research. A kind of 1970s culture predominates, with the usual kind of Government profit formula and unexciting margins.
Yes, I'm well aware of the stereotypes. Well - I'd like to take this opportunity to set the record straight. Defence is playing a key role in building the knowledge based economy. With an annual spend of some £2.6 billion, my department is already one of the largest investors in R&D in this country today. We're investing money and expertise in emerging technologies. From the exploitation of novel signature management and autonomous systems as a contribution to safer military technologies right through to nanotechnology.
And we're committed to a faster pull-through of this new technology into direct military capability. It is absolutely imperative that we do this. Because whilst the speed of technological change and globalisation open up opportunities, they also present challenges. Challenges for the future - a future that is uncertain. And capability that has to be able to overcome the immediate threats and dangers that we face today.
Defence needs to be ahead of the game. Innovation is key to that.
My job as Minister for Procurement is to make sure that our troops have the right kit at the right time. And at the right price for the taxpayer. A good idea - a solution that works - will find its way to the front line. To support our men and women in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The MOD has scientists deployed in both theatres whose job is operational analysis. In fact, we're now deploying more scientists to the front line than at any time since the Second World War.
We want the brightest people with the best ideas. And we need people to invest in those ideas - to be prepared to take on the same element of risk that they would with other start ups.
I did my PHD in Robotics - I believe battlefield robotics and artificial intelligence have enormous potential .We've got to promote people with the same background that I had 20 years ago to be able to implement those ideas and that technology.
With a background in engineering and science I had the opportunity to develop my own start up biotech company - into a FTSE 250 business. I'm only too aware, however, that there is a perception that those kind of opportunities just aren't there in the Defence sector however. I think there's a real lack of understanding and know-how as to just how someone can make that journey.
I am determined to change that. Defence must offer the same opportunities for start ups that exist, for example, in the biotech sector. We need foster that same hunger for, and commitment to, enterprise.
Yes - this entrepreneurial culture will have a high element of risk. But - and let me be quite clear about this - we will make sure that those companies prepared to take these risks are properly rewarded. There will be incentives. All of us here today know that venture capitalists are always on the look out for 'high risk, high reward' opportunities. Well, I happen to know that investors are missing out on a sector that offers both those criteria. Because Defence can provide those opportunities.
Last week I launched the Defence Technology Strategy. The Times newspaper coverage of the launch was headed 'MOD Seeks Battlefield Innovators'. Actually, I think that sums it up pretty well. The Strategy is a blueprint for change. It clearly sets out our priorities. And it marks a very real determination to promote innovation and open up research opportunities. To stimulate, and support, high - risk, high - pay off military research.
Promoting excellence and innovation is a process that thrives on competition. The high standard of exciting entries in today's Global Security Challenge is proof that competition is often a vital catalyst in driving that process forward.
And that's why challenge and competition are the cornerstone of the Defence Technology Strategy.
I'm particularly keen to emulate what I call the 'DARPA effect'. DARPA - the US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency - is dedicated to technological innovation. It focuses on short term projects and is now in its third year of running an urban challenge.
DARPA's experience has proved that setting world class technology challenges to the wider community really does reap results. Results that produce new and creative defence solutions. Results that reap tangible rewards for the winners.
We want to replicate that kind of success. It's a great model, and forms the corner of the Defence Technology Strategy.
We will be launching our own Grand Challenge next month. Aimed at innovators, SMEs and academics the challenge will be, and I quote:
'To produce an autonomous or semi-autonomous system designed to detect, identify, monitor and report a comprehensive range of physical threats in an urban environment'
It's a pretty tough call - I do hope some of you here today take up the challenge and decide to enter. The MOD will facilitate individuals and groups to get together and form their own teams, and the reward will be a contract to prepare the winning solution for technology demonstration.
Ideas - and giving SMEs and academics a platform and opportunity to promote those ideas - will also be a key focus. We are also launching a 'Competition of Ideas' that -I hope - will really harness the brilliance and creativity of the SMEs and academics working at the cutting edge of technology today. With four distinct themes: Prediction Of Intent - Protection; Automatic Object Recognition and Ad Hoc Networking - the Competition offers a huge amount of scope. Offering rewards of up to £300,000 for the best ideas this is an initiative that the MOD will be funding to the tune of £10 million. Actually, it's already live on our website and details can be found at www.ideas.mod.uk.
We want the best ideas - and we need the best people. We have been working with the Royal Society to launch a University Fellowship Scheme. As well as launching a similar scheme - with the help of partners in industry - to encourage up to 30 doctorate research places.
Forty years ago Alan Kay, a brilliant MIT scientist and an early pioneer of the prototype of the laptop computer declared: 'The best way to prepare for the future is to invent it'.
I think that's an adage that certainly holds true for the kind of defence and security challenges that we face today. Challenges that call for just those powers of invention.
But what do you think? What are your particular experiences? Do you think we're on the right track? I'd like to hand over to you in a minute, to hear your views and take any questions you may have.
Finally, before I do that, I'd like to take this opportunity to congratulate the MBA students here at the LSE for setting up the Global Security Challenge.
And I want to thank the sponsors - Smith's Detection, the US Navy's Office of Naval Research and University College. You are ahead of the game and really leading the way in encouraging this kind of completion.
And - of course - I also want to wish 'good luck' to the finalists who have been picked from a very strong field of competition.
