Tecnologia vestível como produto de defesa: análise do cenário externo

Abstract

The increasing technological complexity of combat equipment and the advancement of the armed forces employment require greater capacity of combatants. Considering the human capabilities as the upper limit to employ the modern defense technologies, it is increasingly essential to develop mechanisms for monitoring human performance to investigate the biopsychosocial requirements for training and real-time operations. The objective of this study was to analyze the external macro scenario regarding the feasibility to development of wearable and biometric sensors embedded in combat equipment by the Defense industries. Therefore, there were investigated the Political, Economic, Social and Technological aspects, as recommended by PEST process. The main factors were analyzed to define the future potential events and scenarios, by applying the Strategic Planning methodology practiced by the War College School. The process ended up with the evaluation of the inherent risks. The results pointed out positive and negative scenarios. In one hand, it was demonstrated the sustainable development process of the 4.0 industry and biometric sensors devices applied to Defense purposes, as well as the good opportunities to establish scientific partnerships with other nations. On the other hand, it was demonstrated that the Operational Human Performance has been shown as a weak area to undertake joint researches by the Armed Forces, mainly due to the lack of organic structure in the Ministry of Defense (MoD). Other unfavorable scenarios refer to the difficulties presented by the Defense Industries to spontaneously invest in new technologies without the Armed Forces formal request. This factor is worsened due to the lack structure within the MoD and the inexistence of extra budgetary funds able to guarantee a continuous flow of investments not susceptible to constrains. As recommendations, it was highlighted, the central role of the MoD in bringing together the different actors involved in the process of technological development in CT&I and Operational Human Performance, in order to promote the necessary synergy to make the projects reach higher technological redness levels of innovations. It was also explored the need to create a Department inside the MoD, subordinated to the Defense Products Secretariat, devoted to the coordinate and integrate the researches in CT&I, including a section for matters specifically related to the Operational Human Performance.