Innovate like it's 1938
Blog by Simon, HMGCC’s Product and Engineering Deputy Director
We are living in an age of innovation; a time of fast-paced technological evolution, bringing both opportunity and threat.
If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is. Look back through history and we find patterns of amazing discovery and invention, accompanied by a race to stay ahead of our adversaries.
At HMGCC, as new technology emerges, we need to increase our strategic advantage over adversaries and not cede a technological edge. We must not miss out on novel technologies that could transform how we operate.
This is the backdrop to the launch of our new Top 10 Technologies campaign, which invites innovators across the UK to talk to us about the products and research they are working on and how it could prove useful to the work of national security.
Edge AI, quantum sensing and communications systems are all on our initial list of 10 and publishing this tally of tech priorities, as well as being more open about what we need, seems to mark a new approach for us. But is it really new? Let’s look at what has happened in the past.
Tech in the 1930s
History has seen this before. The 1930s are best known as the years leading to World War 2. HMGCC came into being back then, springing to life as the creative heartland of World War 2 secure communications technologies, which were to play such a pivotal part in the work of British intelligence.
However the 1930s were also a time of great technological transformation. Atomic physics came of age with the discovery of the neutron by James Chadwick in 1932. Alan Turing proposed a model for a computer in 1936. Advances in aircraft manufacture saw the introduction of aluminium alloy monoplanes. Added to this, radio communications technology really came of age in the 1930s This era saw rapid advances in radio communications, particularly in radio and TV broadcasting.
It is easy to imagine that policymakers and observers must have felt overwhelmed, particularly when coupled with the worsening economic and geopolitical situation. But many scientists saw opportunity in this upheaval.
The invention of radar and what we learn today
During the 1930s the Air Ministry tasked the Tizard Committee, chaired by Sir Henry Tizard with investingating “how science might be applied to the problem of detecting incoming aircraft.” This resulted in the development and construction of the world’s first early warning radar network, with 20 stations operational at the outset of World War 2, playing a critical role in the Battle of Britain the following year.
As a technologist, it is easy to fall into the trap of recency bias, believing that modern methods or approaches are better or more sophisticated than older ones. On reading this story, it becomes very clear that the Tizard Committee approached the problem in a way that feels relevant to today’s challenges:
Scoped in terms of the problem, not solutions. The Committee very deliberately avoided selecting any given technology solution at the outset. It initially commissioned working groups to investigate a broad range of options.
Co-opted the best scientific expertise available. Although this was a government scientific committee, it also brought in extensive expertise from outside government. This included several scientists who would then go on to win the Nobel prize.
Iteratively developed operational solutions. Despite the strong academic credentials of the committee members, the programme was an engineering development, focused on creating practical implementations. Once it was clear that radar was the most feasible technology, the programme shifted gear and focused solely on operationalising this technology.
Made use of readily available technology. Although the concept of radar was new, initial demonstrators made use of existing technology and components.
Developed in partnership with British industry. The Tizard Committee and the Air Ministry Research Establishment set out to identify partners who could design and manufacture at scale the required subsystems. Crucially, the committee encouraged regular interaction between government scientists and industry engineers to shorten the development cycle times.
Innovation today
How do we stay ahead of the technology curve in modern times?
By combining our in-house world-class engineering capabilities with the world’s best innovators, HMGCC embraces the spirit that made those early radar pioneers so successful, but in a way that reflects the modern technological landscape. The world’s scientific and technology experts are found not only in our universities and defence companies, but across a wide range of companies, large and small, often operating in industries that have little to do with national security. We therefore aim to deepen our collaboration and partnerships with the best of industry, start-ups, international partners and academia, wherever they are to be found.
We already work with a wide range of companies large and small to create our operational technology. Our Co-Creation programme is successful at identifying novel technologies to solve national security problems and our Top 10 Technologies campaign is helping broaden our network of partners, extending our access to pools of innovation in industry and academia.
If we get this right, we can truly harness the best of UK and partner technologies to help us navigate these challenging times and continue to help keep our country safe. We are learning the lessons of the past.