QINETIQ CANADA RICHARD ACKERMAN, PRESIDENT OF QINETIQ CANADA, SHARES HIS VISION FOR THE COMPANY'S CONTINUED SUCCESS IN CANADA AND BEYOND.
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DEFENCE LEADERSHIP
QinetiQ Canada
Richard Ackerman, President of QinetiQ
Canada, shares his vision for the company’s
continued success in Canada and beyond.
BY JAMES CARELESS
QinetiQ, a multinational defence firm, in getting more out of their
appointed Richard Ackerman as President resources, and expanding
of QinetiQ Canada on September 1, 2020. his company’s export role in
Previously a Vice President at another large accessing the international
defence company, Ackerman led several defence market to meet its
strategic transformation activities to improve global product mandate
its customer focus and organizational for Targets.
effectiveness.
“Richard has a proven track record INVESTING IN CANADA
of transforming businesses in ways that Make no mistake: Richard
benefit companies and their customers, Ackerman’s appointment as
and he instinctively understands our QinetiQ Canada’s President
mission-led innovation strategy,” said Steve underlines QinetiQ’s commitment
Wadey, CEO of QinetiQ Group Plc., when to investing in its Canadian operations,
Ackerman’s appointment was made public. and to making the most of the people
“His experience and philosophy are well and products it has here.
aligned with QinetiQ’s objectives, and he is a “We're extremely fortunate,” Ackerman
fantastic addition to our global team.” told CDR. “We have a great workforce in
For Ackerman, taking the helm at QinetiQ Alberta consisting of engineers, production
Canada is an opportunity to make his mark people, administrative staff, and customer-
on the company and its future success. “I focussed support personnel. We're going
joined QinetiQ last year with a focus on to take that asset and build upon it across
developing a new strategy for the business Canada to contribute to QinetiQ’s corporate
in Canada,” he said during a wide-ranging strategy of global growth.”
discussion with CDR. “The main premise is to “We also are privileged to have Strong,
build on the successes of the QinetiQ’s Target Secure, Engaged (Canada’s official Defence
Systems (QTS) business in Alberta, which we policy) as a planning framework, so that
acquired from Meggitt Defence Systems in we know the Government of Canada’s
2016, to grow our Canadian operations and intent with respect to recapitalization and from its jet Banshee aerial platform) provides
to include Canadian Defence Market interests investments in defence and security,” he military customers with a manoeuvrable
in areas other than Targets. We want to use added. “We are using that as a roadmap supersonic target that costs far less than
QTS as a platform for truly Canadian-centric of our own to build our investment other competitive products on the market.
domestic business, as part of our world commitments around.” “QTS produce targets for Canada
product mandate for Target Systems. So, I and about 40 other customers around
have both an inward-looking focus and an TARGET SYSTEMS the world,” said Ackerman. “Low-cost
outward-looking focus for Canada, both Based in Medicine Hat, Alberta, QinetiQ’s supersonic targets like the Rattler represent
intended to employ Canadians.” Target Systems division (QTS) builds advanced a next generation of threats that our
During this discussion, Richard Ackerman yet affordable unmanned air, land and
outlined his plans for strengthening QinetiQ surface targets for live-fire training and
Photo: I joined QinetiQ with a focus on
Canada’s overall position in the domestic weapons system testing/evaluation. For developing a new strategy for the business in
market, helping the Canadian Armed Forces instance, QTS’s Rattler missile (launched Canada, Ackerman told CDR
that digital test and evaluation plays its role
in contributing to this unbroken thread of
digitization in support of future capabilities,
to meet our customer needs.”
QINETIQ’S KNOW-HOW
QinetiQ is known for contributing in a trusted
fashion to the knowledge of its customers and
partners internationally. Now the company
wants to do the same in Canada. This is
why QinetiQ Canada has collected the Best
Practices developed in its global operations
and is implementing them here at home.
“We've created what we call the Sovereign
Skills Capability Program, which will train
suitably qualified Canadians in QinetiQ’s deep
understanding of exploiting ranges in the
context of new system equipment and threats,
with a focus on test and evaluation, train-
ing, and mission rehearsal processes,” said
Ackerman. “This QinetiQ-funded program
will be for the benefit of prime contractors,
the Government of Canada, and DND across
various domains to deliver those capabilities to
future programs such as the Canadian Surface
customers can be trained against. We Combatant, Future Fighter, RPAS, NORAD
want to align QTS’ products with its Modernization, and Defence of Canada.”
sister QinetiQ company in the UK that “In fact, we just completed a study for
develops aerial targets, and then offer this the Royal Canadian Air Force to upgrade and
combination as an integrated package to digitize its operations at Cold Lake and other
our customers – with Canada taking the ranges, which are so important to Canada
lead in this operation due to its leadership and our allies,” said Ackerman.
in this area.” Options under consideration include the
In the east, QinetiQ Canada is opening use of Synthetic Blended Training, which
an office in Nova Scotia to support combines virtual and real assets to provide
maritime defence projects in that region. realistic, safe, and easily deployable training
It is also adding Program Management solutions. This can be combined with the
and other technical skills capabilities to its web to support Distributed Training solutions
headquarters in Ottawa. to students anywhere in the world.
A case in point: To support these
DIGITAL DOMAIN initiatives, QTS is developing advanced
QinetiQ Canada is known for its core targeting drones such as those offered by
competencies in defence testing and QTS has led QinetiQ Canada to compile a
evaluation, personnel training, and ensuring substantial base of Best Practices and Lessons
mission readiness, among others. One of Learned expertise. The company is now
Richard Ackerman’s goals is to extend these offering this expertise to the CAF, to help
competencies into the digital domain, to them modernize weapons ranges such as CFB
keep up with trends in the defence sector. Cold Lake.
“Everyone understands that future As well, the company plans to leverage
systems/equipment capabilities start in the knowledge from its other projects to assist
digital domain with studies and identifying military clients. These include QinetiQ’s
requirements,” he told CDR. “They then Counter UAS detection system that used
move into the physical world through millimetric wave radar (9-12 ghz) to locate
development, test evaluation, delivery, and a drone’s small spinning propellers within
sustainment. This being said, these latter two kilometres of the Ottawa International
stages now have to be replicated in the Airport, during a March 2021 trial. The
digital world as well as in the physical world company also has robotic ground vehicles
to meet customer demands. So, QinetiQ that can be employed for explosive ordinance
Canada’s current focus is on ensuring destruction, plus a software program called
WWW.CANADIANDEFENCEREVIEW.COM 73
QinetiQ’s Rattler missile (launched from its jet Banshee aerial platform) provides military customers with a manoeuvrable supersonic target
all of QinetiQ in this market,” Ackerman
explained. This also means a Canadian
company like QinetiQ Canada can use the
global QinetiQ brand to boost its export
sales. In plain language, QTS can leverage
QinetiQ’s presence in Australia, Germany,
the U.S. and UK to sell its Canadian-made
defence products.
INVESTING IN THE FUTURE
One word that Richard Ackerman uses
frequently is “investing”. He uses it in
Credit: MCpl Manuela Berger, Combat Camera
reference to the many business opportunities
QinetiQ’s remote controlled Hammerhead that he sees being open to QinetiQ Canada
Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) target is launched
by HMCS VILLE DE QUÉBEC for weapons training and its UK parent company, and the ways
in which both companies can turn these
possibilities into realities.
QUASAR that can coordinate the operation to expand its product portfolio. This is why For Ackerman, investing can mean
of drones and remotely-controlled ground/ the company purchased the U.S. company putting money into Synthetic Blended
sea vehicles in swarms. MTEQ (Manufacturing Technologies) in 2019. Training, Distributed Training, and other
As a result, “we now have a very significant advanced approaches that align with the
WORK FORCE DIVERSITY presence in the United States, particularly Royal Canadian Navy’s ‘Digital Navy’ strategy.
The goal of creating a more diverse and around robotics and some esoteric things It also refers to hiring the right people at
inclusive workforce is a major priority for such as hyperspectral sensing and the QinetiQ not just for today’s projects, but
QinetiQ Canada. To make this happen, the creation of payloads,” Ackerman told CDR. those that may occur in the future.
company is enhancing its recruitment efforts Thanks to MTEQ, QinetiQ also has a “We've identified the key technical human
to attract “young people straight out of very capable unmanned underwater vehicle resources that we need going forward and
university with diverse perspectives, and then (UUV) called the SEAScout. Equipped with we're hiring them now,” he said. “The Number
selecting the best candidates from among a reconfigurable payload, the torpedo-like One challenge in leveraging technology and
them,” Ackerman told CDR. SEAScout can execute multiple maritime innovation is having the right technology
“This is proving to be a very effective way missions such as data gathering, decoy, available when it is needed. That’s what we
to build diversity in our business,” he noted. gateway buoy, intelligence, neutralizer, are preparing for at QinetiQ Canada.”
“Of course, as is the case with most companies reconnaissance, and surveillance. QinetiQ Canada is also investing in
in our industry, we still have a lot more to do. When QinetiQ acquires a company methods to reduce the environmental impact
But we believe we're on the right path.” outside of the UK, it gives that company the of its products. “We're going to be looking
power to access the entire QinetiQ portfolio at alternative fuels for our targets and better
LEVERAGING THE to boost its sales. “Our policy is that the recovery mechanisms for targets after they're
QINETIQ PORTFOLIO local entity is responsible for building its local destroyed,” said Ackerman. “And we'll
As a global defence company, QinetiQ is presence while being a respected member clearly be investing in product development
always on the lookout for suitable acquisitions of local industry, and also representing in Canada. There's a whole new range
74 WWW.CANADIANDEFENCEREVIEW.COM
of threats in hypersonics and supersonics suppliers, and trusted to deliver value to If there are conclusions to be drawn from
that we'll be developing target products to the Canadian economy. Our main goal is this story, it is that QinetiQ is extremely
address, so our customers can train to cope to become a truly recognized and trusted serious about building the depth, range and
with these future threats with confidence.” member of the Canadian defence and expertise of its Canadian operations under
In addition to the above investments, security industry.” Richard Ackerman’s leadership. Given the
QinetiQ is employing other tactics to hone “I also see us delivering new products company’s stable of innovative products,
its business edge. One of these tactics is from QinetiQ’s Target Systems business to QinetiQ Canada is indeed worth considering
divestment. In November 2020, QinetiQ sold the global market based on company-funded for strategic partnerships by other Canadian
its Commerce Decisions company to Harris developments, and continuing to have that companies hoping to win stakes in DND’s
Computer Corporation. global product mandate to create exports major procurement programs.
“Commerce Decisions is very effective at while building our core engineering skills In fact, it seems safe to say that there
providing advisory services to procurement within Canada.” has never been a better time to partner with
organizations,” Ackerman said. “But we That’s not all. There will be more QinetiQ QinetiQ Canada, given the ongoing state of
found that it was limiting our ability to create Canada offices opening up across Canada. major federal defence procurements. Factor
and deliver value across all of the programs As for human resources? “I expect us to be a in export opportunities, and now seems a
envisaged by Strong, Secure, Engaged.
So, we've trimmed our portfolio by selling
Commerce Decisions.”
QinetiQ Canada is also working to
improve its marketability by seeking strategic
partnerships with other Canadian defence
firms, built upon a basis of shared goals,
mutual trust and respect. “Our focus is on
creating trust-based relationships with both
industry stakeholders and customers, and
also with the end users within DND and
elsewhere,” Ackerman told CDR. “We're
acting strategically in this regard, but we're
also focussing very tactically on what we can
deliver to help project success and leverage
mission capability for everyone that QinetiQ
Canada works with.” The SNYPER from QinetiQ is an unmanned
helicopter vehicle target designed to
replicate threats from commercial UAVs
LOOKING AHEAD
Having heard Richard Ackerman’s update
on QinetiQ Canada and its UK parent, CDR Canadian employer of choice,” he said. “We very opportune time for Richard Ackerman
asked where QinetiQ Canada’s President all know that recruiting and retention of the to execute on the plans he has for QinetiQ
wants his company to be five years from best people with diverse perspectives is the Canada and its customers.
now. He responded by saying, “the most path to business success. So, a key focus for
important thing to me is to be a trusted us is to concentrate on how we will attract James Careless is CDR’s Ottawa Bureau
partner in Canada, trusted by our customers, and keep those best minds and brightest Chief
trusted by the end-user, trusted by our people within QinetiQ Canada.”
QinetiQ has a very capable unmanned
underwater vehicle (UUV) called the SEAScout
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