Enhancing Peace OperationsEnhancing Peace OperationsWith Modern TechnologyWith Modern Technology

Dr. Walter Dorn, Royal Military College of CanadaChallenges Forum, 15 February 2013

“Concern for man himself and

his fate [humanity and its fate]

should be the chief interest of all

technical endeavors.

Never forget this in the midst of

your diagrams and equations.”

– Albert Einstein

Concern of international Concern of international community for community for humanityhumanity

Save lives and prevent Save lives and prevent sufferingsuffering

UN: Collective eyes and UN: Collective eyes and ears, Legs and armsears, Legs and arms

UN Peace OperationsUN Peace Operations

“The League of Nations … should be the eye of the nations to keep watch upon the common interest, an eye that does not slumber, an eye that is everywhere watchful and attentive.” Woodrow Wilson, Paris, 1919

PeacekeepingPeacekeeping

The Human Eye ... The Human Eye ... sometimes aided by binoculars

Monitoring Mandates• Cease-fires Cease-fires

• Peace agreementsPeace agreements

• Protected areas and persons (POC)Protected areas and persons (POC)

• Elections Elections

• Human rightsHuman rights

• Sanctions Sanctions

• Armed groups and spoilers (early warning)Armed groups and spoilers (early warning)

• Resource exploitationResource exploitation

• Safety & security of UN personnel (dilemma)Safety & security of UN personnel (dilemma)

““A MONITORING GAP”A MONITORING GAP”

Problems Of Unaided MonitoringProblems Of Unaided Monitoring

Limited capabilities ...Limited capabilities ...

• over large areasover large areas

• at nightat night

• for underground detectionfor underground detection

• in remote/difficult terrainin remote/difficult terrain

• information recording, analyzing, sharing information recording, analyzing, sharing

and storageand storage

Monitoring TechnologyMonitoring Technology

Increases Increases rangerange and and accuracyaccuracy of of observationobservation

Permits Permits continuouscontinuous monitoring monitoring Increases Increases effectivenesseffectiveness (including (including cost-cost-

effectiveness effectiveness in some cases)in some cases) Decreases Decreases intrusivenessintrusiveness Enhances Enhances safetysafety of staff in field of staff in field Provides Provides recordings/evidencerecordings/evidence

Source: W.Dorn

Satellite imagerySatellite imagery

Satellite Sentinel ProjectSatellite Sentinel Project

UAVsUAVs

Israeli

Australian

Canadian

AmericanJapanese

Hand launched

EUFOR UAV Support to MONUC (2006)EUFOR UAV Support to MONUC (2006)

B-Hunter

-Belgian contribution

Bosnia (2005) 400 flight hrs

-DRC (2006) 300 flight hrs

Arms race Arms race

President Kabila vs President Kabila vs Vice-President BembaVice-President Bemba

• Tanks shipped by railTanks shipped by rail

• Dugout canoes filled with Dugout canoes filled with small arms cross Congo small arms cross Congo RiverRiver

Kinshasa, 20-22 August 2006 Kinshasa, 20-22 August 2006

UAV experience in DRCUAV experience in DRC

Very useful imageryVery useful imagery

Operational problemsOperational problems• 1 shot down1 shot down• 1 crashed causing fatalities on ground1 crashed causing fatalities on ground• Info-sharing EUFOR/UNInfo-sharing EUFOR/UN

Political problemsPolitical problems• Host-state info demandsHost-state info demands

UAVsUAVs

Unmanned Aerial Unmanned Aerial ImagingImaging Systems Systems (UAIS)(UAIS)

DRC: 2007-2009DRC: 2007-2009 EOI: January 2013EOI: January 2013 Political leadershipPolitical leadership Modest systemModest system Manage expectationsManage expectations Recommendations: different typesRecommendations: different types

Night Vision

Thermal ImagingThermal Imaging

www.imaging1.com

RadarsRadars

Ground

Aerial

Underground

Airborne

Sea-based

Ground SensorsGround Sensors

Acoustic and seismicAcoustic and seismic

Sinai Field Mission Sinai Field Mission (SFM)(SFM)

Commercial systemsCommercial systems

(Source: www.cmc.sandia.gov)

Video CamerasVideo Cameras

2006 Nepal Comprehensive Peace Agreement2006 Nepal Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Electronic Eyes on Electronic Eyes on the Green Line (UNFICYP)the Green Line (UNFICYP)

Cost comparison: 10x cheaper (first year), 100x (subsequent)

Multisensor SystemsMultisensor Systems

Reconnaissance vehiclesReconnaissance vehicles• MobileMobile• Extendible mastExtendible mast• GSRGSR• Low light TVLow light TV• IR sensorsIR sensors• Laser range finderLaser range finder

Canadian Coyotes in Ethiopia-Eritrea Canadian Coyotes in Ethiopia-Eritrea (UNMEE)(UNMEE)

CF C

ombat C

amera, ISD

01-0030a, Bernier, 4, 2001

• Secure checkpoints

• Temporary Security Zone

• Night observation

CarlogCarlog

www.e-drivetech.com

Keeping Watch

ConclusionsConclusions

1. No technological fix … but technology can 1. No technological fix … but technology can

be of immense value in monitoring, be of immense value in monitoring,

preventing and mitigating conflict.preventing and mitigating conflict.

2. Technical monitoring can increase the 2. Technical monitoring can increase the

safety and security of peacekeepers as safety and security of peacekeepers as

well as the effectiveness of the mission.well as the effectiveness of the mission.

3. UN lacks the equipment, resources, 3. UN lacks the equipment, resources, preparation/training needed for preparation/training needed for

effective and efficient use of moderneffective and efficient use of modernmonitoring technologymonitoring technology

somesome monitoring technologies in monitoring technologies in somesome missions but missions but ad hocad hoc and and unsystematicunsystematic• radarsradars• NVE (Gen 2+)NVE (Gen 2+)

no thermal imagers, seismic or acoustic no thermal imagers, seismic or acoustic ground sensorsground sensors

platforms: recce vehicles and aircraftplatforms: recce vehicles and aircraft absence of policies, doctrine, SOPs and absence of policies, doctrine, SOPs and

training materialstraining materials need to re-engage capable contributorsneed to re-engage capable contributors

4. UN is4. UN is capable of incorporating capable of incorporating advanced technologiesadvanced technologies

Communications and information Communications and information technologytechnology

CarlogCarlog GIS progress GIS progress

• Commercial satellite imageryCommercial satellite imagery Aerial recce in DRCAerial recce in DRC

Monitoring technologies not Monitoring technologies not yet “tools of the trade,” but yet “tools of the trade,” but they can and should be.they can and should be.

IF THIS TECHNOLOGY-AIDED IF THIS TECHNOLOGY-AIDED

PRESENTATION DIDN’T WORK …PRESENTATION DIDN’T WORK …

FORGET EVERYTHING I SAIDFORGET EVERYTHING I SAID

Source: W.Dorn