ISSUE 182 : Jul/Aug - 2010 - Australian Defence Force Journal

ConclusionScience and technology support to ADF operations is DSTO’s highest priority and ischaracterised by the need for a rapid response within a framework which takes account ofthe operational context and the associated hazards. It is imperative that the ongoing DSTOresponse is both timely and of high quality so that it contributes to operational outcomes andADF force protection. For these reasons, DSTO has evolved a separate policy and governanceframework for support to operations as well as specialised training for the scientists involved.The military utility of DSTO’s support to operations is suitably captured by Lieutenant GeneralMark Evans in his preface to the ‘Joint Operations Command S&T Plan’ where he notes that‘operational decision-making can benefit from the scientific method through structuredoperations analysis’ and ‘converting hard-won operational experience to enhance jointcapabilities in a timely manner requires analysis and experimentation processes’.The techniques being developed for rapid-turnaround studies in support of current operationshave wider application to other areas of Defence, particularly where the time frames availablefor S&T work are comparable to those encountered in support to operations. What remains tobe done are explicating and codifying of the practices of Fast OR and the linking of the resultsfrom such studies to the program of more traditional OR studies. The linking of Fast OR withstudies undertaken over longer time frames would also reinforce the ‘learning organisation’culture of Defence.For the military consumers of such studies, it is perhaps useful to understand the broad natureof the scientific analyses undertaken, how they may differ from other sorts of professionalstudies and the competing, if not conflicting, demands placed on scientists attempting tobalance their clients’ expectations that studies will be fast, relevant and useful, with theneed to assure the scientific quality of the work undertaken. While the issue of scientificveracity, and hence credibility, of the work undertaken may not be foremost in the minds ofthose depending on S&T advice from DSTO, the confidence that they can place in such adviceultimately rests on achieving and maintaining a requisite level of scientific quality.Established principles and hallmarks of good OR provide a firm basis for assuring the scientificquality of Fast OR studies. But work is needed to establish simple checklists or other schemathat can be readily and quickly applied to evaluating the scientific quality of such studies.Additionally, there needs to be further development of tools and techniques for use bydeployed OA teams that sit within an accredited framework. Considering the gravity of FastOR studies in support of current operations, the issue of determining their scientific quality isof importance to all of Defence not just the scientists undertaking them.Dr Terry Moon has 35 years experience in research including 24 years in Defence Science. Duringhis time at DSTO, he has worked in a number of fields spanning electronic warfare technology,operations research, surveillance technology, systems analysis, capability engineering andnetwork-centric warfare studies. He has also worked on a number of major Australian Defenceprojects and DSTO-wide studies. Terry is currently working in Joint Operations Research with afocus on support to current and near-term operations.69