DSTO Events

Land Warfare Conference 2010 - Full Spectrum Threats: Adaptive Responses

Date: 15 November, 2010 to 19 November, 2010

Location: Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, Brisbane

The Land Warfare Conference will be held in Brisbane, Australia from 15 - 19 November 2010.

The Land Warfare Conference (LWC) is a major event for users, providers, academics, designers and manufacturers to meet, present, share and exchange new and visionary ideas on Land Systems.

The theme for this year's conference is Full Spectrum Threats: Adaptive Responses.

Academics, commercial organisations, defence research institutions, and military are encouraged to attend and/or offer papers in the field of Land Warfare and related disciplines.

Major Sponsors

MAGIC 2010: Super-smart robots wanted for international challenge

Date: 8 November, 2010 to 13 November, 2010

Location: Australia

The Defence Science & Technology Organisation (DSTO) in Australia and the Research Development & Engineering Command (RDECOM) in USA are taking the lead in organising MAGIC 2010.

The Multi Autonomous Ground-robotic International Challenge (MAGIC 2010) is jointly sponsored by the Australian and US Departments of Defence to attract innovative proposals from worldwide research organisations to develop next-generation fully autonomous ground vehicle systems that can be deployed effectively in military operations and civilian emergency situations.

Whats the challenge?
The challenge requires competitors to submit proposals demonstrating the use of multi-vehicle robotic teams that can execute an intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance mission in a dynamic urban environment.
Shortlisted competitors will need to field cooperatives of unmanned vehicle prototypes with the ability to autonomously and dynamically coordinate, plan and carry out tasks against changing priorities.
To complete the challenge competitors must: (i) accurately and completely explore and map the challenge area; (ii) correctly locate, classify and recognise all simulated threats; and (iii) complete all phases within 3.5 hours. The challenge event will be conducted in Australia during November 2010.

Eligibility

The challenge is open to national and international organisations from industry and academia. Government organisations are not eligible.

Time Table

MAGIC 2010 will be conducted in two phases:

Initial shortlisting of ten teams based on their proposals 30 October 2009.
Grand challenge event 8-13 November 2010.

Date	Event
1 July 2009	Challenge announced
31 July 2009	Participants Conference, Adelaide ( Australia ) 0930 - 1315
4 Aug 2009	Participants Conference, Frankfurt ( Germany ) 0900 - 1300
6 Aug 2009	Participants Conference, TARDEC Warren, Michigan ( USA ) 0900 - 1300
4 Sep 2009	Intention to Compete forms closing date
2 Oct 2009	Closing date for receipt of technical proposals from competitors Application Form - Guidelines for submissions
30 Oct 2009	Twelve shortlisted teams notified
*Nov 2009*	*Ten competitors (out of twelve) selected and research contracts awarded - 50% first payment initiated*
16-18 Dec 2009	Technical Briefings held concurrently in Washington, US and Sydney, Australia.
7-21 June 2010	Site visits to shortlisted competitors by assessment panel. Progress assessments - balance 50% payment initiated.
*22 Oct 2010*	Closing date for submitting MAGIC 2010 Technical Paper for Land Warfare Conference
8-13 Nov 2010	Grand Challenge Event at undisclosed location in South Australia
15-19 Nov 2010	Land Warfare Conference, Brisbane (winners announced).

Research awards

Of the ten shortlisted teams, five teams will be selected to receive US$100,000 each to develop and build their unmanned vehicle prototypes.

After successfully completing the challenge the top three ranked teams will receive US$750,000, US$250,000 and US$100,000 respectively.

Judging

A panel of international experts in the field of robotics, military operations, academia, and defence R&D will be appointed. The judges will be responsible for verifying compliance with the rules and determining the winners.

Proposal presentation

The selected competing teams will be required to submit a detailed technical paper covering all aspects of their technology for presentation and publication in the proceedings of the Land Warfare Conference 2010 being held in Brisbane, Australia from 15 to 19 November 2010.

More information
Detailed information on challenge rules, entry requirements, judging criteria and forms can be accessed here.

** Please note: Neutralise - does not imply weaponise

PacSec 2010

Date: 27 January, 2010 to 29 January, 2010

Location: Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre

DSTO joins with PacSec to host the Maritime Defence Technology Symposium, focusing on the latest scientific outcomes and research directions in underwater security and defence technology.

The biennial Pacific International Maritime Exposition is internationally recognised as the premier commercial maritime and naval defence industry forum and trade exhibition in the Asia-Pacific region.

PacSec 2010 will feature a series of international symposia dealing with the topical issues relating to civil and military maritime security.

The PacSec 2010 program will incorporate maritime and port security, autonomous maritime surveillance systems, and maritime defence technology including under-sea and above water sensor integration.

As part of PacSec 2010, DSTO is hosting the Maritime Defence Technology Symposium, which will focus on the latest scientific outcomes and research directions in underwater security and defence technology.

Adopting "Undersea and Above Water Sensor Integration" as its central theme, the symposium will incorporate two streams: Undersea Sensors and Networks, and Above Water, Sensor, Information and Combat Systems Integration.

For more information, visit the PacSec 2010 website.

Defence Human Sciences Symposium

Date: 15 September, 2009 to 16 September, 2009

Location: Melbourne

The Defence Human Sciences Symposium (DHSS) is the principal Australian forum for those interested in research on defence-related human sciences and the application of human sciences research to enhance defence capability.

The DHSS is sponsored by the DSTO's Human Sciences Hub, and this year it will be hosted by Human Protection and Performance Division (HPPD), Melbourne on September 15 & 16.

The keynote speakers include the current Head of People Capability within the ADF's People Strategies and Policy Group, MAJGEN Craig Orme and Associate Professor Nigel Taylor, an academic with many years experience conducting research with Defence Organisations.

Symposium Programme

Over 50 abstracts were received for the symposium, with a mixture across DSTO, Defence and external organisations both within Australia and our international counterparts. Attached is the draft programme for the event.

On Monday 14th September 3 pre-symposium workshops will also be taking place - details attached. Please refer to the identified contact for each of these for further information.

Registration

Registration has been extended and will close on Friday 28th August. No registrations will be accepted after this date as we need to confirm numbers for catering purposes.

To register please complete the attached registration form and email it to DHSS@dsto.defence.gov.au

For those who have already registered you will receive a confirmation email in the next day or so.

Registration Fees

Defence: $ 80.00*
Non Defence: $ 88.00 (inc GST)

The registration fee includes morning and afternoon teas and lunch on Tuesday 15th and Wednesday 16th September.

No catering will be provided on Monday 14th September, however canteen facilities are available.
*Defence employees do not pay GST.

Venue

David Warren Auditorium, DSTO Melbourne, 506 Lorimer St, VIC 3207 (4kms from Melbourne CBD)

Travel and accommodation information

Please see attached file.

Further Information

For more information please contact the Symposium co-coordinators, Renee Attwells, Alison Fogarty or Alistair Furnell:

Renee Attwells      Phone: 03 9626 7816
Alison Fogarty       Phone: 03 9626 8656
Alistair Furnell       Phone: 03 9626 8411

70 Years of Defence Science at the 'Bend

Date: 17 August, 2009 to 21 August, 2009

Location: DSTO Melbourne

In 2009, DSTO celebrates 70 years of world-class research at Fishermans Bend in Melbourne.

In August 1939, a month before the start of the Second World War, construction started on Australias first aeronautical research facility in Melbournes Fishermans Bend.

Since that time, the facility, now known as DSTO Melbourne, has produced some of the most significant scientific achievements in Australia: the development of Jindivik, a subsonic unmanned jet-propelled target aircraft ; full-scale fatigue testing of aircraft; the Black Box flight recorder; composite bonded repair technology; and many more.

Today, DSTO Melbourne is the oldest surviving Commonwealth defence research laboratory in Australia.

The Wimperis legacy

The establishment of an aeronautical research facility was the recommendation of Henry Egerton Wimperis, the retiring Director of Scientific Research for the British Air Ministry who had been invited by the Australian Government to advise on the possibility of establishing an indigenous aeronautical research capability in Australia.

His report, submitted to Parliament in December 1937 recommended:

the creation of an aeronautical research facility,
the establishment of a Chair of Aeronautics at the University of Sydney, and
the formation of an Australian Advisory Committee on Aeronautics.

On the basis of Wimperiss recommendation, the Government acquired 10-hectares of land at Fishermans Bend.

Fishermans Bend An aircraft hub

Fishermans Bend was an obvious choice of location, being close to Commonwealth Aircraft Corporate and the Government Aircraft Factory and with the Laverton RAAF base nearby.

The facility, part of the then Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, was established to support the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), as well as civil aviation, and the aircraft and automotive industries.

During the war years, the laboratory was preoccupied with finding solutions to operational, manufacturing and design problems. After WWII, long-term aeronautical research became the focus, particularly in relation to aircraft structures.

The laboratorys pioneering work in estimating aircraft life through full-scale fatigue tests brought scientific acclaim and international prominence, and the laboratory became synonymous with aeronautical research in Australia and around the world.

Broadening areas of expertise

The main focus of work at Fishermans Bend remained on aircraft and aircraft systems until 1994 when ARL became part of the newly formed Aeronautical and Maritime Research laboratory, located over two sites in Melbourne, Maribyrnong and Fishermans Bend.

Over the years, DSTO Melbourne, as it came to be known, increasingly became the centre of expertise in technologies underpinning the concept development, maintenance and operation of maritime and aeronautical military platforms.

The laboratory also made a significant contribution to land platforms and became a valuable source of expertise in the human sciences, aimed at optimising the performance and wellbeing of ADF personnel.

In 2002, the decision was made to consolidate all DSTO activities in Melbourne onto one site at Fishermans Bend. Over the next five years, the site underwent extensive development to accommodate the additional research areas and to enhance some of the existing facilities on the site.

In 2007, the last of the Maribyrnong staff and operations were relocated to the Bend.

Fishermans Bend today

The Fishermans Bend site today boasts:

658 staff
A state-of-the-art Aeronautical and Maritime Structural Test Laboratory, providing the capability to perform full-scale testing of both maritime and air structures
An advanced composites fabrication facility, enabling DSTO to conduct research and development into advanced composite materials for both maritime and aeronautical applications.
A purpose-built conference facility
A million-dollar underwater test facility, to assist research into Australias next generation submarines
The only R&D organisation in Australia to focus on research against chemical, biological and radiological threats.

DSTO Melbourne continues to provide integrated support to the force-in-being in crucial areas across the air, maritime and land domains. In addition, it is increasingly involved in major projects that will shape the Defence Force of the future.

The sites contributions to future defence capability cover its work in support of the Joint Strike Fighter, the Air Warfare Destroyer, next generation submarines, hypersonic vehicles and other new platforms being acquired by the ADF.

Defence Science no longer peripheral

As Peter Donovan suggests in his excellent history Anticipating Tomorrows Defence Needs: A Century of Australian Defence Science, Defence science today is a far cry from that of 1939.

Todays Defence scientists enjoy a much closer relationship with their Defence clients than previously, and their research is far more focussed on Defence applications. Gone are the days when science was considered peripheral to the business of waging war. Instead, contributions of Defence scientists are now considered essential in maintaining the knowledge edge.

For the past 70 years, researchers at Fishermans Bend have assisted Australia maintain that knowledge edge. There is little doubt that over the next 70 years, the next generation will continue to do the same.

Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of these pages. Please contact the DSTO Web Administrator if you identify any inaccuracies.