S&T Prioritized Research Areas
Orienting Science and Technology research towards helping NATO meet its future challenges is the purpose of the following prioritized S&T research areas. The Innovation Hub is willing to support projects addressing them.
TRAINING
Background
NATO effectiveness is highly dependent on its personnel interoperability; and the tool to achieve it is training.
Desired effect
High quality training in NATO matters is accessible and affordable to all members of the NATO Command and Force Structure anywhere, as well as to comprehensive approach partners.
S&T Objectives
Formulate options for a novel NATO training system, coherently addressing the aspects of strategy, organization, outreach, techniques, tools, technology, and cost effectiveness.
LANGUAGE
Background
Even with high level English proficiency among the Allies, language still constitutes a limitation to communication with many partners and local actors in theatre. This has a direct impact on NATO efficiency.
Desired effect
Language is not any longer a constraint to NATO efficiency.
S&T Objectives
Identify how to ensure that current and future state of the art language translation and training solutions (technologies, techniques and systems) are supporting all NATO capabilities, structures and personnel.
PROTECTION and CONSEQUENCE MANAGEMENT (non-kinetic effects)
Background
Any action, communication or even presence causes non-kinetic effects, such as perceptions, on NATO personnel, on local populations and on the broader public opinion. Some of those effects can be negative from a NATO point of view. These negative effects might be the result of NATO actions (undesired effects), or generated by a NATO’s adversary (subversion, terrorism).
Desired effect
NATO is able to prevent or mitigate the negative non-kinetic effects among its personnel and the broader human environment.
S&T Objectives
Propose solutions for NATO to acquire thorough and persistent understanding of the broader human environment and of the information domain, as well as solution for acting upon them in order to prevent or mitigate any negative non-kinetic effects.
KINETIC EFFECTS detection and mitigation
Background
Together with natural and man-made disasters, CBRN, IED and Ballistic Missiles attacks major threats to NATO personnel and populations.
Desired effect
NATO is able to anticipate and mitigate negative kinetic and CBRN effects on its personnel and populations.
S&T Objectives
Propose systems enabling the early detection of Ballistic Missile Attack, the stand off detection and identification of CBRN threat. Propose solutions to mitigate the negative kinetic effects of ballistic missiles, IED, natural and man-made disasters.
DECISION MAKING and PLANNING processes
Background
The context and nature of future NATO operations is unpredictable. Success will depend on the Alliance ability to meet unexpected and complex challenges. Lessons from past and current operations show that this is directly linked to the ability to quickly adapt to the environment and to collaborate with new partners.
Desired effect
Improve NATO planning and decision making processes speed, openness to collaboration and adaptability.
S&T Objectives
Propose options of improved planning and decision making processes at strategic, operational and tactical level ensuring quick adaptation to any new situation, environment and mission, and easy collaboration with any partner, while reducing the bureaucracy load thanks to technology.
NEW NATO INTELLIGENCE
Background
NATO demand for knowledge is expanding far beyond the traditional scope of military intelligence. It now encompasses the cyber domain, the information domain, and the dimensions of economy, culture, sociology, law, history, politics …
Desired effect
NATO is able to timely acquire and share thorough knowledge of relevant specific aspects of any dimension and in any domain.
S&T Objectives
Propose solutions to allow NATO to acquire thorough knowledge of relevant specific aspects of any dimension and in any domain.
Propose organizational solutions allowing efficient information/knowledge sharing among NATO structures, nations and comprehensive approach partners.
COLLABORATION CULTURE between allies and with non-nato, civilian
Background
The increasing diversity of NATO members and comprehensive approach partners becomes a threat to efficiency if collaboration does not become the culture and one of the priority skills within the Alliance.
Desired effect
The desire to collaborate and corresponding skills are the main characteristic of NATO personnel, structures, capabilities and processes.
S&T Objectives
Propose strategies, techniques and tools for NATO to embrace collaboration and the corresponding skillset.
EXPERTISE MANAGEMENT
Background
Due to the evolving nature of operations, the need for specific expertise already goes beyond what is currently available to NATO.
Desired effect
NATO is able to reach out to the critical expertise where it resides and to bring it where it is needed.
S&T Objectives
Propose novel personnel/expertise management solutions in support of NATO critical expertise needs.
ADAPTABILITY OF SYSTEMS AND CAPABILITIES
Background
Current NATO capabilities and systems are flexible by nature. This means that they can efficiently perform different tasks that have been pre-identified. But when the tasks to perform have not been pre-identified, the adaptation to them is mainly improvised.
Desired effect
NATO capabilities, systems and personnel are designed so that they can timely adapt to any task and any situation.
S&T Objectives
Design a process to develop intrinsically adaptive capabilities and systems
ENERGY AND AFFORDABILITY
Background
NATO capabilities, systems and operations are increasingly expensive. Acquisition, energy and operating cost is one of the main limitation to the Alliance level of ambition.
Desired effect
For the same effectiveness, NATO operations, capabilities and systems are cheaper than in 2013.
S&T Objectives
Review existing NATO assets and propose improvement that will lower costs and energy consumption without decreasing the effectiveness.
ALTERNATIVE CAPABILITIES
Desired effect
The ability for commanders to perform most kinetic military functions at a fraction of the cost while eliminating risks to deployed Personnel
S&T Objectives
Provide low-cost autonomous solutions (platforms, sensors, effectors, system integration) in support of PSAs
