The Ministry of Defence has published its new technology strategy. It also launched a new innovation competition.
"With an annual spend of approximately £2.6 billion, the MOD is one of the largest government investors in Research and Development." So it might pay to read the new Defence Technology Strategy (pdf file here). The accompanying announcement tells us that the new strategy "has been developed in close collaboration with industry and academia".
The announcement also launches a £10 million internet-based competition that "aims to encourage innovators including individuals, academia and small and medium sized businesses, to suggest practical solutions to specific technical challenges facing the MOD. Ideas which have promise will receive funding of up to £300,000 to demonstrate their potential under controlled conditions". The competition runs until 31 January 2007.
This is one of a number of initiatives in the strategy "to support and encourage innovation and the science and engineering skill base in the UK".
Another press release says that there will also be "a separate Grand Challenge to innovators produce a system that can detect, identify, monitor and report a comprehensive range of physical threats in a complex urban environment".
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