Committee to question senior officials from the Ministry of Defence
This week the Committee will hold the penultimate oral evidence session for its “Defence concepts and capabilities: from aspiration to reality” inquiry.
The meeting will focus on the work of SONAC (The Secretary of State’s Office for Net Assessment and Challenge) and its potential for UK Defence capabilities as well as the opportunities and challenges of nurturing scientific innovation within the structures of the Ministry of Defence.
Meeting details
At 2:00pm: Oral evidence
Inquiry
Defence concepts and capabilities: from aspiration to reality
Director of SONAC at Ministry of Defence
Director of Defence Innovation at Ministry of Defence
Director of Defence Science and Technology at Ministry of Defence
Possible Questions:
- In your view, is the bet to rely on technological innovation and sophisticated science to deliver military power, rather than force size an appropriate one. What are the opportunities and risks? Or is it unfair to characterise such a choice as a gamble?
- How will SONAC interact with the MOD’s pre-existing analytical capacity, such as the Development, Concepts, and Doctrine Centre, and the analysis teams at DSTL? How does SONAC’s role differ? How will you avoid duplication? Is SONAC adequately resourced, financially and intellectually, and how can you best access a wider range of expertise from within and beyond government?
- How good is the UK at making scientific discoveries and converting them into strategic advantage? Is this an area of UK relative strength over our potential adversaries, or are we on the back foot?
- How good is the Ministry of Defence at nurturing, absorbing, and utilising scientific discoveries for the development of military capability? Does the MOD need additional resources to invest in and support the UK scientific base? Are there any cultural or procedural obstacles to the positive flow of scientific ideas in and out of Defence?
- How good is the Ministry of Defence at innovation already? How can it be made better? Are the obstacles to further innovation predominantly financial, cultural, scientific, intellectual, or something else?