At the time of writing this piece, I’ve just returned from DEFSEC Atlantic 2018. DEFSEC is Canada’s second largest defence show, which attracts defence companies and attendees from across the country and even overseas to Halifax, NS each year.
What we see at DEFSEC, as with other events within the industry, is the focus on technology. Digital transformation is taking place in all sectors, and defence is no exception. The growth of Data, Cloud, AI and the Internet is propelling this transformation. It is exciting to see this growth in defence and how this is changing the way we work in securing our nation.
Talking about technology, as we move through fall and prepare for the long winter months, the team at Vanguard is busy putting the final touches to the programs for our upcoming events. C4ISR and Beyond and the Ship Tech Forum are two events that Vanguard has been hosting for the past five years. Over this period, we have incorporated emerging technology within the programs to showcase what’s possible in the future. Today, the future is here, and we are seeing many of these innovative products and services being implemented across the industry. If you would like to know more about our upcoming events, please visit vanguardcanada.com/c4isr2019 and vanguardcanada.com/shiptech2019 regularly to get the latest updates.
In this edition, you will find innovation as the central theme interwoven through the many articles. In his piece, Jim Quick, President and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association of Canada, writes about collaboration, which is a crucial ingredient to our success and is essential to innovation and the future of our overall economy.
Alexandra Hejduk highlights in her article how Canada is working closely with its Five Eyes partners to advance both the unique Canadian defence research needs as well as to liaise and to innovate with the partnering nations. This is done through the Technical Cooperation Program (TTCP) and Contested Urban Environment (CUE) experiment. At its latest CUE experiment held in Montreal, Quebec in September, soldiers tested technologies in an urban environment that would best mimic the type of urban landscape seen in so many current events requiring a military presence.
The Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI), in partnership with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) and Statistics Canada, recently published a study titled State of Canada’s Defence Industry (2018). Christyn Cianfarani, President of CADSI, points out in her article how this report provides critical insights into the shape and economic performance of the industry by clearly reflecting a sector steeped in innovation.
Jon Elkin, VP of Client Services at OMX has a piece on the future of defence innovation by taking a look at five emerging technologies to keep an eye on. Chris Black in looking at the future writes about Stealth and LO and how they will be used to ensure our pilots are kept safe and capable as we transition to unmanned and autonomous combat solutions.
In this issue, we are excited to announce our Game Changers: Steve Hétu, General Manager, La Corporation du Fort St-Jean; Thomas D. Irvine, Dominion President, The Royal Canadian Legion; and Jean-Claude Siew, Vice President Technology & Simulation, Bluedrop Training & Simulation Inc. Be sure to read these profiles to learn about leadership qualities that have helped these executives throughout their careers.
I hope you enjoy reading this edition as much as we’ve enjoyed putting it together. Click below to view.
