GOH KENG SWEE COMMAND AND STAFF COLLEGE SEMINAR 2015 The Role of Technology in the 21 st Century Battle-space The evolution of military technology is paralleled with the corresponding developments in how militaries operate. This dialectic has had an impact in the organisation and development of militaries globally and in extension, the operations they are capable of. Militaries today face an organisational challenge not faced by their predecessors. The global complex operating environment places operational challenges on militaries stabilization operations, kinetic operations and civil-military related operations all operate within the same sphere. How can the militaries of today integrate their operational demands and technological capabilities to achieve mission success today? This year s theme for the GKS CSC Seminar aims to break mental horizons regarding the perceived roles of technology in contemporary operations, moving from tactical applications of technology to strategic and operational thinking about complex operations and the role of military technology in these operations, and their subsequent implications. GKS CSC Seminar 2015 provides a suitable platform to examine and discuss the changing nature, emphasis, development and implications of technology in the battlefield. In an increasingly complex operational environment, armed forces are evolving in dynamic new ways to integrate technology, in all its facets, for mission success. With whole-of-government (WOG) approaches needed and multilateral cooperation expected, the onus is on armed forces to step-up and build new paradigms and doctrines relevant for the demands of modernity and the future. 1
PROGRAMME DAY ONE: 8 th October 2015 (Thursday) Venue: Officer Cadet School Auditorium, SAFTI MI 0900 0910h Opening Remarks RADM Giam Hock Koon, Commandant, SAFTI Military Institute, Singapore Armed Forces 0910 0930h Keynote Address Professor Lui Pao Chuen, Advisor, National Research Foundation, Prime Minister s Office Panel 1: Military Technology and the Changing Character of Armed Conflicts Setting the conceptual framework for the Seminar, this panel will examine the role of technology along the continuum of strategic studies. Seen through the lens of contemporary geostrategic and regional affairs, the evolving roles of the armed forces and the concomitant infrastructure that enables them are discussed. Chair: Mr Eddie Lim 0930 1100h How Small, Smart, and Many Will Change the Battlefield Dr Thomas Hammes, Distinguished Research Fellow, Institute for National Strategic Studies, National Defense University, United States of America Military Modernization and Transformation in the Asia-Pacific Region Dr Michael Raska, Research Fellow, Military Transformations Programme, S. 1100 1200h Lunch Venue: Officer Cadets' Mess, SAFTI MI Panel 2: Operations in the Information Age The globalised world operates on multiple levels, criss-crossing environments and disciplines. This interconnectivity affects the ability and capabilities of armed forces to fulfil their national agendas. This panel examines the dynamic realities that challenge armed forces to be adaptive in a complex operating environment. Chair: Dr Michael Raska 2
1200 1330h Civil-Military Relations and International Military Cooperation in Cyberspace Ms Caitriona Heinl, Research Fellow, Centre of Excellence for National Security, S. The Role of Social Media in the Strategic Outcome of Contemporary Conflicts Mr Tan Kwoh Jack, Associate Research Fellow, Military Studies Programme, S. Technological Diffusion in Hybrid Warfare Assistant Professor Ong Wei Chong, Military Studies Programme, S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore 1330 1400h 1400 1530h Coffee Break Venue: Officer Cadets' Mess, SAFTI MI Syndicated Group Discussion 1 3
DAY TWO: 9 th October 2015 (Friday) Venue: Officer Cadet School Auditorium, SAFTI MI Panel 3: Developing the Future Force How the future force looks like will be determined by the contextual reality of the day. How do the armed forces of today determine their currency and relevance in such a dynamic environment? This panel examines the approach towards future capability. Chair: Dr Graham Gerard Ong Webb 0900 1030h Seeking Out Disruptive and Game-Changing Technologies RADM Harris Chan Weng Yip, Future Systems and Technology Architect, Ministry of Defence, Singapore Opportunities and Challenges of using Commercial Technology for Future Capability Development Mr Henry Chang Weng Foo, Director (Land Systems), Defence Science & Technology Agency, Singapore Topic on Development and Potential Application of Space Technology in the Future Battlespace COL Martin France, Permanent Professor and Head of the Department of Astronautics, United States Air Force Academy, United States of America 1030 1100h Coffee Break Panel 4: Battlefield Application of Technology Nothing brings home the message of applicability like personal experience. This panel hears from military commanders who are at the sharp edge of operations and their experience in how military technologies have integrated into operations at the strategic, operational and tactical levels. Chair: Asst Prof Ong Wei Chong 1100 1230h On-Line Warriors - How C21st Technology is Reshaping our Understanding of the Profession of Arms Professor Christopher Coker, Professor of International Relations, The London School of Economics and Political Science, United Kingdom The SAF Experience of Technology in Military Operations: Operation Blue Ridge COL Dinesh Vasu Dash, Director (Information), MINDEF Communications Organisation, Ministry of Defence, Singapore 4
1230 1330h Lunch 1330 1500h Syndicated Group Discussion 2 Tour of SAFTI MI and Visit to the Army Museum for overseas speakers 1500 1530h Coffee Break 1530 1700h Plenary Presentation Chair: Mr Eddie Lim, Senior Fellow, Coordinator of the Military Studies Programme, S. 1700 1715h Closing Remarks COL Ng Wai Kit, Deputy Commandant, SAFTI Military Institute/Commandant, Goh Keng Swee Command and Staff College, Singapore Armed Forces End of Seminar 5