STONewsArchive: NATO conference explores analytical approaches to defence and deterrence

Title: NATO conference explores analytical approaches to defence and deterrence
Start_Publishing: 14/11/2023
Panel_Page: STO
Page_ID: 3922
Main_Body_Multi: The Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (ACT) and NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) co-hosted the 17th annual NATO Operations Research and Analysis (OR&A) Conference this month, bringing together decision makers and experts to explore the latest advancements and compare strategies in OR&A. This year’s OR&A Conference was held from 30 October-02 November at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, United States.

 

The annual OR&A Conference provides an opportunity for analytical experts to discuss and debate how scientific methods can be leveraged to support the decision-making process in various NATO commands and agencies, and at the national level. Although operational analysis is applied at various levels of decision-making, there is a common – and necessary – need to discuss challenges, exchange best practices and gain insights in order to make better decisions and improve outcomes. 

 

The 2023 OR&A Conference was held under the theme of “Changing Character of Defence and Deterrence: the Power of Analysis”, reflecting longstanding OR&A practices used to combat ongoing challenges that the Alliance faces, while also looking ahead to future challenges and methods. As global shifts challenge the Alliance’s values, and aggressions against Ukraine threaten Allies’ security, there is an even greater need for NATO’s deterrence and defence to remain credible and effective, as underscored in the new NATO Strategic Concept. 

 

The conference began with opening remarks from Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Philippe Lavigne, who spoke about the critical role that analysts play within ACT and the Alliance more broadly.

 

“ACT has always been a leader in NATO in thinking of its analysts as a precious resource,” Gen Lavigne said. “They provide a crucial capability at all levels within ACT, in the NATO community as a whole, and by providing links to their colleagues in national bodies in settings like this”. 

 

In a keynote speech, Dr Bryan Wells, NATO Chief Scientist, highlighted how innovations such as autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence, together with increasing amounts of available data, are transforming warfare today, drawing on analysis from the report NATO Science and Technology Trends 2023-2043. Looking ahead to the future, he added, is an important role for the OR&A community to fill within NATO. 

 

“It is the job of NATO scientific community, and the analytical community, to support political and military actions and decisions regarding current events,” Dr Wells said. “But our leadership also looks on us to provide the longer-term thinking, the longer-term analysis.” 

 

Participants at the conference included decision makers and analysts from NATO commands and agencies, national defence analysis and research agencies, academia, and industry. Over the course of three days, they discussed topics such as artificial intelligence, modelling and simulation, strategic analysis, and war gaming. Breakout sessions featured discussions on the synchronization of national and NATO strategies, especially in the areas of advancing joint operational effectiveness and analysis for modern warfare. 

 

“Today’s war is as much, if not more, about data, people and talents,” Gen Lavigne said. “In a world where we are all operating under an avalanche of data, where resources are not without limit, we constantly require the provision of evidence-based advice to our political masters, so that they can take decisions at the speed of relevance.”

Page_Intro: The Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (ACT) and NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) co-hosted the 17th annualNATO Operations Research and Analysis (OR&A) Conference this month, bringing together decision makers and experts to explore the latest advancements and compare strategies in OR&A. This year’s OR&A Conference was held from 30 October-02 November at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, United States.

HomePageImage: 20231114-U-SACTI-ORA.png
HomePageBodyText:  

The Headquarters Supreme Allied Commander Transformation (ACT) and NATO Science and Technology Organization (STO) co-hosted the 17th annual NATO Operations Research and Analysis (OR&A) Conference this month, bringing together decision makers and experts to explore the latest advancements and compare strategies in OR&A. This year’s OR&A Conference was held from 30 October-02 November at Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland, United States.

 

The annual OR&A Conference provides an opportunity for analytical experts to discuss and debate how scientific methods can be leveraged to support the decision-making process in various NATO commands and agencies, and at the national level. Although operational analysis is applied at various levels of decision-making, there is a common – and necessary – need to discuss challenges, exchange best practices and gain insights in order to make better decisions and improve outcomes. 

 

The 2023 OR&A Conference was held under the theme of “Changing Character of Defence and Deterrence: the Power of Analysis”, reflecting longstanding OR&A practices used to combat ongoing challenges that the Alliance faces, while also looking ahead to future challenges and methods. As global shifts challenge the Alliance’s values, and aggressions against Ukraine threaten Allies’ security, there is an even greater need for NATO’s deterrence and defence to remain credible and effective, as underscored in the new NATO Strategic Concept. 

 

The conference began with opening remarks from Supreme Allied Commander Transformation General Philippe Lavigne, who spoke about the critical role that analysts play within ACT and the Alliance more broadly.

 

“ACT has always been a leader in NATO in thinking of its analysts as a precious resource,” Gen Lavigne said. “They provide a crucial capability at all levels within ACT, in the NATO community as a whole, and by providing links to their colleagues in national bodies in settings like this”. 

 

In a keynote speech, Dr Bryan Wells, NATO Chief Scientist, highlighted how innovations such as autonomous weapons systems and artificial intelligence, together with increasing amounts of available data, are transforming warfare today, drawing on analysis from the report NATO Science and Technology Trends 2023-2043. Looking ahead to the future, he added, is an important role for the OR&A community to fill within NATO. 

 

“It is the job of NATO scientific community, and the analytical community, to support political and military actions and decisions regarding current events,” Dr Wells said. “But our leadership also looks on us to provide the longer-term thinking, the longer-term analysis.” 

 

Participants at the conference included decision makers and analysts from NATO commands and agencies, national defence analysis and research agencies, academia, and industry. Over the course of three days, they discussed topics such as artificial intelligence, modelling and simulation, strategic analysis, and war gaming. Breakout sessions featured discussions on the synchronization of national and NATO strategies, especially in the areas of advancing joint operational effectiveness and analysis for modern warfare. 

 

“Today’s war is as much, if not more, about data, people and talents,” Gen Lavigne said. “In a world where we are all operating under an avalanche of data, where resources are not without limit, we constantly require the provision of evidence-based advice to our political masters, so that they can take decisions at the speed of relevance.”


Created at 14/11/2023 15:25 by ad.rodes
Last modified at 22/11/2023 13:28 by ad.rodes
 
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