FUTURE INTEROPERABLE CAPABILITIES BASED ON SYSTEMS WITH AUTONOMOUS FUNCTIONS (SAF)

Workshop draft agenda

Date: Tuesday, 6 July, 14.00 hrs until 17.30 hrs (CET)

1. Welcome and introductory remarks

2. The concept of capabilities incorporating systems with autonomous functions

3. The anticipated future capabilities in the domain of:

a. Maritime SAFs

b. Land SAFs

c. Air and Space SAFs

d. Multidomain SAFs

4. Interoperability challenges and opportunities

5. Multinational cooperation on SAFs - challenges and opportunities

6. Panel discussion

7. Concluding remarks

 

CONFERENCE OF NATIONAL ARMAMENTS DIRECTORS  CALLING NOTICE FOR A WORKSHOP ON

‘FUTURE INTEROPERABLE CAPABILITIES BASED ON SYSTEMS WITH AUTONOMOUS FUNCTIONS’
 

Note by the Permanent Chair
References:

A. AC/259-D(2021)0013-REV1 - CNAD implementation plan for EDT
B. AC/259-D(2021)0017 – CNAD Main Armaments Groups implementation matrix for EDTs
C. AC/259-D(2021)0001 – NIAG Final report of the Study Group 252 on EDT, in the context of emerging powers

1. The CNAD developed and approved its implementation plan for emerging and disrupting technologies (ref. A) which is part of the wider NATO effort to maintain its technological superiority over potential adversaries.

2. The Main Armaments Groups (MAGs)1 have been invited to report on the relevance of the EDTs to their respective programmes of work (PoWs) (Ref. B). The MAGs confirmed that their PoWs already include EDTs to various extent, and their answers were reflected in the appendix 2, annex 1 of Ref. A. The MAG chairpersons’ interventions during the Main Group Forum and subsequently during the CNAD Plenary confirmed that the MAGs are anticipating the use of EDTs, either individually or in clusters, in the future Alliance’s capabilities.

3. The NATO Industrial Advisory Group (NIAG) delivered a comprehensive report on EDT, in the context of emerging powers (Ref. C). The report provides an invaluable source of information regarding the level of technological development, and includes additionally a series of recommendations for NATO, Allies and industry on technology, capabilities, interoperability and policy development.

(1 NATO Naval Armaments Group (AC/141 – NNAG); NATO Air Force Armaments Group (AC/224 – NAFAG); NATO Army Armaments Group (AC/225 – NAAG)
NHQD221898) 

4. Building upon the existing expertise and materials, the CNAD is organising an initial workshop on 6 July 2021, to address the following action item: ‘Autonomy in the context of military capabilities and challenges’.

5. The Main Armaments Groups, nations, industry, are invited to identify experts to contribute to the agenda items as presented at Annex 1; the contributions should be in the form of presentations and/or papers, and shall be related to the use of systems with autonomous functions in future military capabilities. These capabilities include primarily armaments, weapon systems, unmanned systems, without being limited to these.

6. The nominated experts shall be communicated by 15 June 2021, together with a short bio, and a detailed abstract of the presentation/paper (the submission of the full presentation and/or paper by 15th would be appreciated) to the action officer from the International Staff, Defence Investment Division (tel. +32 2707 7914 or [email protected]), with the following information:

- Name of the expert (first name, family name, rank, salutation, position)

- Organisation/Company

- Email address

- Phone number

- Agenda item for which they are nominated

7. The workshop on 6 July 2021 will take place virtually; connection details (platform, registration, administrative procedures, etc.) will be communicated at a later stage, closer to the execution date.

8. The workshop will be held at unclassified level. All presentations/papers should therefore be unclassified, moreover not include proprietary information or other details that cannot be shared publicly.

9. Presentations/papers deemed requiring higher classification can still be submitted to the International Staff; while these will not be included in this workshop, they could be subject of further discussions and analyses.

10. Written materials will be evaluated by the CNAD Task Group on Innovation/EDT and taken forward in the CNAD reports and developments, as appropriate.