Systems Science for Defence and Security
Systems science for defence and security can be described as a discipline at the interface between social science and engineering. The main object of study is the interaction between technical and social components which affect or contribute to defence and security.
One of the main tenets in systems science for defence and security is that technical and social elements should not be studied in isolation from each other. The development, acquisition and use of technology and materiel for defence and security is, therefore, in focus. The discipline is a further development of the subject military technology.
Research of benefit to society
The main object of study within the discipline is the interaction between technical and social components which have the ‘capability’ to contribute to defence and security in society. In this context the word capability means; the potential of a community organisation, group, or person to use resources to achieve a specific objective. A typical example of an object of study would be how military units as organisations are equipped and trained for specific missions in crises and war. A common factor in such demanding situations is that they are characterized by uncertainty and entail major risks for both the society and those who are designated to protect it.
Creating capabilities
Processes for creating and utilizing defence and security systems are also studied. Creating a capability can be said to involve all activity in addition to the static maintenance of that capability. Despite limited resources and long development and acquisition times, organisations aim to minimise the scope for ill-conceived and short-term solutions; while at the same time, being able to meet the demands of a dynamically changing world. The use of a developed capability occurs within a broad spectrum of activities in civil and military defence, and encompasses the whole scale of conflict. The aim is to use available resources to achieve the desired effect, at the right time, at a minimal cost given the acceptable risk. The focus of the study is on the development, acquisition and use of technology and materiel.
Research in real contexts
Within the discipline, methods and tools are designed to answer questions and explore problems connected to the object of study’s systems in practice. These can include, for example, modelling an organisations evaluation of specific technologies.