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SDSC-UK 2024 Unclassified Conference

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3CDSE

Adapting UK Defence to Overcome New Challenges

There is little dispute that we are at a significant moment within today’s geopolitical environment. Many commentators have reflected upon the return to state-based threats, increased challenges to the rules-based order and constant competition between state and non-state actors below the threshold of warfare. This environment is further complicated by the disruption arising from digital technologies and advanced materials and the global threats posed by climate change and lethal pandemics.

There is no shortage of diagnosis that Defence systems and processes remain optimised for hardware procurement whilst acknowledging that success will be dependent on the rapid adoption of software driven solutions and dominance in the information domain.  The Strategic Defence Review must address this paradox. Bold and rapid reform must be implemented.

SDSC-UK 2024 will explore three areas which are pivotal to this reform. Through panel sessions, industry and Defence experts will explore these topics and engage with the audience to deepen understanding of the challenge to help identify those areas that will be most impactful for change. 

SDSC-UK 2024: Session Themes
 

Theme One: Acquisition Agility – Different Approaches for Successful Outcomes.

Today’s conflicts reinforce the need to acquire, scale and adapt modern digital capabilities at pace. Acquisition processes however, remain overly bureaucratic, risk averse, configured for hardware acquisition and are synchronised with an annual budgetary cycle rather than the threat. There is little incentivisation for innovation and insufficient ability to exploit and scale the successes that do occur.

 

 

Theme Two: International by Design – Multi-lateral Capability Development Challenges.

The Integrated Review and other publications have reflected that future conflict will not be fought in isolation. Alliances and partner nations will be key. UK Defence must ensure it is interoperable with allies to share data, logistic support including munitions and transport and doctrine. This includes multi-national approaches to meeting capability requirements.

AUKUS Pillar 2 is focussed on developing a range of advanced capabilities, to share technology and increase interoperability between the three nations. Capability development within one nation however encounters enough challenges. Is a multi-lateral approach too ambitious?

 

Theme 3: Addressing the skills challenge.

Defence cannot recruit and retain the people it needs. This challenge is exacerbated by the increased specialisms required to operate and exploit digital capabilities. T hese skills are in high demand across the private sector where remuneration is better and may offer a better lifestyle for those not minded to military service.

The Haythornthwaite Review of Armed Forces Incentivisation (HRAFI) recognised this and recommendations included better support for lateral entry, portfolio or zig-zag careers.  This is not solely a Defence problem; Defence sector industries face similar challenges to workforce resilience. Addressing these risks must involve not just a whole force but a whole of society approach.

We offer a huge thank you to all our contributors and in particular to our compere, Major General (Retd.) Robin Anderton-Brown and our panel chairs, Joe Robinson, Ocean Infinity Group, Jez Holmes OBE, Raven Innovation and Major General (Retd.) John Collyer. CB (Military), Portway Associates

SDSC-UK 2024 Unclassified Conference

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Our Speakers 2024

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GDPR

Please note: SDSC-UK and its trading company 3CDS (Trading) Ltd do not sell or pass on any SDSC-UK contact details to third parties other than those that are expressly authorised to have access to that data for the proper functioning of their roles.

We work with Cyber Quarter, the Midlands Centre for Cyber Security/Univ of Wolverhampton, to ensure that our systems are safe, secure and robust. We are pleased to be rated in the top 10% of organisations for cyber security in the Aerospace and Defence & Security Industry. 

On occasion we are made aware of unscrupulous external actors who claim to hold data from exhibitions such as SDSC-UK. Please be advised that any person offering such data and purporting to be acting on behalf SDSC-UK is fraudulent. Any such perpetrators will be pursued by our sister company, Harrison Clark Rickerbys (hcr), a Top 100 law firm.

Our Security and IT experts advise that it is best not to respond to such emails as by doing so, you may be unwittingly verifying your own email address. If you have any concerns in this regard, please contact Anna Roby-Welford, Director, SDSC-UK anna@3cdse.co.uk