Air Commodore Paul ‘Rosey’ Rose MBE
Head of Capability Special Projects
A warm welcome to this year’s Specialist Defence & Security Convention (SDSC). This year SDSC meets at the crossroads of an alarming global picture, exciting progress on the Military Strategic Headquarters and decisions soon to emerge on the Strategic Defence Review and the Spending Review.
On the global stage, war is still raging in Europe and the Middle East, Africa remains unstable and collective concern continues to build around elements of security in the Indo-Pacific region. The common thread remains the acceleration of change. This means the diversity of Defence requirements is only growing. I am therefore delighted to again be seeing a range of SMEs alongside Prime industry partners joining us this year to collectively find solutions.
While the Special Projects portfolio is increasingly broad, I am even more clear on areas where we need to focus. These include Alternative Position, Navigation and Timing, Countering and operating Autonomous Systems and effects, denied Area communications and operations, data superiority and projection in complex terrain. I am also clear that significant investment is required in Counter Biological, Chemical, Radiological and Nuclear capabilities in order to address escalating threats. These threats, whether through State-sponsored actions or non-State actors, are more prevalent today than the last time we met. Whether they present through accidental release, deliberate action or collateral damage they are of grave concern. Noting the dispersion of our forces today, and what we anticipate coming next, the challenge of revolutionising Joint Personnel Recovery capability is hugely important and, with this now sitting within the branch, I am keen to explore opportunities with you during SDSC and beyond about how best to deliver in this complex, contested world.
As Capability Sponsor for a significant number of programmes within my portfolio, I am privileged to be charged with vanguarding new approaches that are already delivering increased coherence across wider Defence, but I see this as a team effort which should benefit the Department, wider Government, our partners and allies, as well as all of you. I am thus hugely grateful for the constructive relationship we now have with each of you, a relationship that continues to strengthen every day. Where I particularly need your assistance and challenge is to enable a more coherent approach that delivers Interoperability, Interchangeability and Integration across Defence, with our partners and international allies.
I hope you enjoy the convention and I look forward to speaking with as many of you as possible over the coming days.
