CTDs deliver new smarts

ADM summarises the state of the CTD program and looks at two land warfare-related CTDs which are now approaching key milestones.
The Capability and Technology Demonstrator projects announced earlier this year represent a step-chance in the funding of the CTD program. Defence has increased CTD funding by $40.9 million over the next three financial years, effectively doubling the annual average expenditure on the program.

The CTD program was first funded in July 1998 to provide a means of demonstrating how technology can be deployed quickly and economically to support high-priority Defence capabilities. CTD projects ty
The CTD program, which is coordinated by DSTO, is designed to allow Defence and Australian industry to share the risks and rewards in exploring useful technology developments. The annual budget was nominally $20 million, but that was dependent on the quality of the CTD proposals received by Defence. In fact, the average spend over the seven years since the program got under way in 1998 has been around $16.5 million a year.

However, at the 2004 D+I Conference former deputy defence minister Mal Brough announced the government was committed to effectively doubling the size of the CTD program, with redirected funding of $39 million for next for 3 years - this equates to an annual CTD program of $26 million for the next three years.

This year also sees some differences in the way CTD funding is allocated. The increased budget not only funds more CTD projects but includes some seed funding to help SMEs develop their CTD proposals further before submitting them formally. Funding has also been made available for future studies into promising capability concepts.

According to Mal Brough these enhancements are directed in the main at improving SME participation and access to the CTD Program, though they are available to the bigger players also. Companies may be eligible for between $10,000 and $20,000 of seed money to develop CTD proposals that need to be modified or enhanced to better meet Defence's needs.

More importantly, Defence has taken on board regular criticism of the disproportionate length of time it takes to negotiate CTD contracts. During the contract negotiation period SMEs in particular can experience real difficulty sustaining a CTD project team and infrastructure without any money coming in.

At Defence's discretion, where it believes the CTD proposal justifies it, there is now between $50,000 and $100,000 available to fund specific activities ahead of contract signature.

Finally, as part of its new commitment to accepting unsolicited proposals from industry, Defence has said it may accept proposals of varying levels of maturity, ranging from systems definition through to demonstration, at any time. Defence has cash available to provide seed funding for promising systems definition proposals with a view to developing them into CTD proposals. Funding for these measures could range from $10,000 to $100,000.

Importantly also, Defence and DSTO have committed to delivering rapid responses and decisions on applications for this extra funding. This is a welcome response to criticism from industry that the CTD process, and especially the contract negotiations, take far too long for contracts of such comparatively little value.

FIGURE 1 - Capability & Technology Demonstrators (source: DSTO)

CTD Project Name
Demonstrator Description

Round 1 (FY 1997/98). Investment $31m.
AIR 5407 Acoustic Aircraft Detection System
Demonstrate acoustic detection and classification of aircraft - COMPLETED
JP 2061 Experimental Command, Control, Communications and Intelligence Technology Environment
Demonstrate a future Command Support System architecture
SEA 1435 Low Probability of Intercept Sonar
Demonstrate communication with, and detection of, advanced acoustic waveforms - COMPLETED
SEA 1436 Advanced Mine Warfare Sonar
Demonstrate advanced sea-mine detection techniques
Round 2 (FY 1998/99). Investment $17m.
DEF 20 TRIGONACCS
Classified - COMPLETED
SEA 1440 Non-Cooperative Target Recognition
Demonstrate classification of maritime radar targets
SEA1441 Bi-Static Barra Sonobuoy
Demonstrate advanced underwater target detection - COMPLETED
Round 3 (FY 1999/00). Investment $12m.
AIR 5419 SIDEARM
Demonstrate advanced photonic techniques
JP 2073 High Frequency Surface Wave Radar
Demonstrate the surveillance capability of a high frequency surface wave radar - COMPLETED
LAND 138 Unattended Biological Warfare Agents Detector
Demonstrate continuous monitoring for biological warfare agents
SEA 1447 Seabed Array
Demonstrate the advanced acoustic surveillance capability of underwater arrays - COMPLETED
Round 4 (FY 2000/01). Investment $8m.
AIR 5423 Range And Scan Time of Arrival System
Demonstrate highly accurate estimation of the time of arrival of electromagnetic pulses - COMPLETED
JP 2057
Classified
LAND 133 Rapid Route and Area Mine Neutralisation System
Demonstrate an advanced landmine detection system - COMPLETED

Round 5 (FY 2001/02). Investment $13m.

AIR 5425 Joint Direct Attack Munition - Extended Range
Demonstrate significant range extension for a Joint Direct Attack Munition guided bomb
JP 2081 Digital Radio Frequency Surveillance System
Demonstrate advanced digital radio frequency surveillance
JP 2082 Travelling Wave Tube Replacement
Demonstrate a solid state replacement for the travelling wave tube
JP 2083 Multi Mode Modem
Demonstrate a software controlled satellite modem - COMPLETED
LAND 143 Advanced Individual Combat Weapon
Demonstrate novel technologies for soldier individual combat weapons
Round 6 (FY 2003/04). Investment $7m.

SEA 1656 Network Enabled Undersea Warfare
Demonstrate advanced signal processing to support networked undersea target information
DEF 222
Classified
JP 2093 Personal Radar Warning Receiver
Demonstrate a soldier-wearable radar warning device
JP 2094 Multi-Band Satellite Antenna
Demonstrate simultaneous operation of a satellite antenna system in two bands
Round 7 (FY 2003/04). Investment $15m.

JP 2104 Combat Data Network
Demonstrate advanced radar tracking algorithms
JP 2102 Bandwidth Broker
Demonstrate real time management of communications network bandwidth
LAND 147 Personal Power Generation
Demonstrate a soldier-wearable personal power generator
JP 2101 Decentralised Data Fusion
Demonstrate advanced signal processing and tactical LAND 148 Acoustic Threat Localisation
Demonstrate a soldier-wearable acoustic fires location system
JP 2103 Aerosonde Radio Relay
Demonstrate relay of radio traffic through an unmanned aerial vehicle
AIR 5501 Airborne Magnetic Gradiometer
Demonstrate an advanced magnetic submarine detection system
SEA 1701 Tactical Command and Control Framework
Demonstrate an open architecture command and control sub-system

Round 8 (FY 2004/05). Investment $10m.

AIR 5434 Bioseeker
Demonstrate an add-on device for use with UAVs, bombs and other guided weapons
AIR 5436 JANDU
Demonstrate a high-speed, medium range, UAV with enhanced payload capability
LAND 149 Lightweight Ballistic Armour
Demonstrate lightweight, low-cost, high-performance armour protection for personnel
JP 2105 Quantitative Phased Imaging
Demonstrate an optical system that uses phase distortion of light for image processing
AIR 5435 FURI
Demonstrate UAV platform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) technologies
LAND 150 Perimeter Surveillance Equipment
Demonstrate a perimeter surveillance system based on the latest sensors and digital technology

To these must be added the 12 CTD projects shortlisted for contract negotiation and funding in the 2005-06 financial year (these were listed in ADM August 2005):

* Cuttlefish (Tenix Defence Systems)

* Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Video Processing (MediaWare Solutions)

* Diver's Sonar (Daronmont Technologies, Mostyn Enterprises).

* Flexible Solar Panels (Sustainable Technologies International and Smart Technologies Australia)

* Fibre Laser Sensors (Thales Underwater Systems, Redfern Optical Components)

* Helicopter Landing Aid (BAE Systems)

* Blast Resistant Protection (Armour Australia)

* Geospatial Software Agents (URS Australia, Agent Oriented Software, ESRI Australia)

* Geospatial Information to the Field (RIA Mobile GIS, Alexander Tomlinson & Valkyrie Systems)

* Integrated Data Services (ADI Limited)

* Navy Tactical Trunk (ADI Limited)

* Transforming Naval Combat Systems (SAAB Systems, ADI, Tenix Defence, Acacia Research).

By Gregor Ferguson, Adelaide