The Defence Secretary, Sir Michael Fallon, has announced the formation of a world class panel which will help challenge and drive the Ministry of Defence’s innovation agenda.
In a speech at the University of Oxford, Sir Michael addressed engineering students, academics, and apprentices as he announced three members of the new Defence Innovation Advisory Panel.
The Panel will be tasked with driving forward the MOD’s Innovation Initiative, which aims to encourage imagination, ingenuity and entrepreneurship, in pursuit of maintaining a military advantage in the future.
Major Tim Peake, the first British astronaut at the European Space Agency, is one of the panel members to be announced. Businessman and former Chairman of McLaren Technology Group Ron Dennis, Innovate UK’s Chief Executive Ruth Mckernan, and Robert Hannigan, retiring GCHQ Director, all join him.
Sir Michael said: “Backed by an £800M innovation fund, we want to transform defence and work with small firms, academics and others to find solutions to the threats to our security.
“This panel of world class innovators will bring their drive and expert insights to the vital task of keeping the UK ahead of our adversaries and boosting our prosperity.”
He also announced the launch of a two year £8M second phase of innovative research and development, exploring the future of unmanned air systems. Developed in partnership with Leonardo Helicopters, the Rotary Wing Unmanned Air Systems (RWUAS) Capability Concept Demonstrator will be a vital tool in discovering how unmanned air systems can support our personnel on the battlefield of the future by developing new concepts and technologies.
The jointly funded programme will utilise the specialist engineering skill base at Leonardo Helicopters by exploring emerging technologies and methods. The announcement comes after the Royal Navy led ‘Unmanned Warrior’ in 2016: a major international demonstration of autonomous systems which could transform the way in which the Armed Forces of the future help keep Britain safe.
Given the importance of SMEs to the initiative, the Defence Secretary visited two Oxfordshire-based small and medium enterprises.
He engaged in an Innovation Roundtable with industry representatives, academics, think tanks, and senior policy-makers. with the aim to work more effectively with businesses and academics across the UK – and particularly with SMEs which might not normally associate themselves with the Defence industry.
Sir Michael Fallon discussed the innovative collaboration between Reaction Engines, the MOD, and suppliers while touring the facility. The company is a global leader in aerospace propulsion and is currently designing and developing technologies for the next generation of air and space vehicles, with the potential to enable hypersonic flight and transform space access.
He also visited the Animal Dynamics facility, viewing their Skeeter intelligence-gathering micro-drone, which has small wings inspired by the dragonfly. Animal Dynamics’ innovative research is focused on so-called “biomimetic technology”: producing drones based on natural forms. The MOD has placed contracts with Animal Dynamics worth up to £1.5M since June 2015 as part of its Disruptive Capabilities initiative. The drone is part of a wider, innovative MOD Disruptive Capability project, which aims to significantly improve intelligence gathering in complex urban environments.
As part of Defence’s drive to transform its culture, the role of the MOD’s Chief Scientific Advisor has been expanded and is responsible for the MOD’s commitment to spend 1.2% of its budget on science and technology. While in Oxford, the Defence Secretary announced that scientist Professor Hugh Durrant-Whyte has been appointed to lead the MOD’s research and technology programme.
As the MOD’s Chief Scientific Advisor, Professor Durrant-Whyte will work across the UK and internationally to drive defence innovation, commission research, and use technology to keep our people safe in challenging environments.
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Post written by: Matt Brown
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