RAFAC - STEM Newsletter 2 - Summer 19 - RAF Eng Comp

Issue No. 2 Summer 2019 Are you aware of the STEM Portal? It has more detailed background How could technology be used to improve information, our plans, lots of useful resources and more, though this is the way we do business? Whether it’s administration, a work in progress. You find it by going to the SharePoint home page logistics, flying, training or catering, all the functions that > HQAC Sub Sites > STEM Portal, or by using this link: we undertake in our everyday lives have the potential to https://sharepoint.bader.mod.uk/stem/SitePages/Home.aspx be improved upon with the support of technology. Wearables, gadgets, apps, the ‘Internet of Things’, https://medium.com/raf-engineering-competition virtual/augmented reality each offer opportunities to change the way we live and work. ‘Big Data’, ‘Cloud Computing’, ‘Artificial Intelligence’ are all terms associated with the massive amount of information that we create and store on a daily basis. If that information could be organised and investigated, how could it be used to help us to recognise trends and perhaps anticipate future events? Each of the teams that make it through to the Finals will receive a small amount of funding to help refine their ideas and produce a prototype or concept demonstrator. At the Finals in June 2020, there will be a range of individual and team awards on offer to recognise flair, ingenuity and enthusiasm. The RAF uses satellites to observe, locate, The RAF Engineering Competition 2019 is open to: communicate and pass information around the globe, RAF Regular and Reserve Service Personnel across all and we can ‘look’ into space using telescopes and radar. RAF Trades and Branches; MOD Civil Servants, Whole But how could the RAF evolve its activities in space in Force (Permanent Contractors) and Joint Participants in the future? Could we put RAF astronauts into orbiting teams comprising a majority of RAF personnel; the space stations? Are there uses for satellites that we Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme (DTUS); and haven’t considered? Could we better link together University Air Squadrons (UAS). These comprise the space-borne, airborne and land-based technologies? ‘Senior Competition’ teams. Will the RAF develop its own launch capabilities to support its space activities? What features will characterise the next generation of RAF aircraft? Could they fly higher, further, faster or for longer? What roles could un-manned aircraft play in RAF activities? Could the RAF employ autonomous air vehicles for logistic air drops or surveillance in hazardous areas?

The 2019 competition is extending eligibility for youth Teams should include the word ‘Submission’ at the start organisations to include the RAF Air Cadets, the Air of the subject field. Scouts, the Explorer Scouts and Girlguiding. These are ‘Youth Engagement’ teams. Entries will be sorted into the 2 groups: Regular Service teams and Youth Engagement teams; then judged and There is no restriction on team size: individuals, sifted by a representative panel of judges against the friends, Sections, Units etc are all eligible to criteria of innovation, originality and practicality. Entries enter. Therefore, you can form a team comprised from from each of the 2 groups will be selected to proceed to a number of Sqn's, Sectors, a Wing team etc! Phase 2 of the competition, culminating in the Finals Event in June 2020, at RAF Cosford. https://medium.com/raf-engineering-competition Entries that progress to Phase 2 will receive a budget of First you need to register your team. Register for the up to £2000 to help produce concept demonstrators and competition by completing an online form HERE or by (optionally) a prototype. sending an e-mail to the Competition Mailbox at [email protected] The Finals Event will take place at the RAF Cosford Air Show in Jun 2020 and will be of a ‘Dragons Den’ Latest date for registration is 25 October 2019. When format. The judging panel will consist of engineering registering by email the team should include the word specialists from Service and civilian backgrounds, and ‘Registration’ at the start of the subject field. In the main inspirational figures involved in promoting STEM. text field, teams should enter the following details: Further details relating to Phase 2 of the competition will be sent to those teams progressing from Phase 1. • Team name; • parent station or organisation (or composite team, if applicable), • contact e-mail address; • name of primary point(s) of contact; • telephone contact. Phase 1 requires the submission of the concept and a If you want to see the kind of entries from the RAF, draft design, submitted on no more than 3 sides of A4 Reserves and Air Cadets in last year’s competition, you using Arial 11 font. The concept must address the can find it in the STEM Portal: shortlisted entries 2018 questions of: • 25 Oct 2019 – register your team • ‘What’s the idea?’ • 8 November 2019 – submit your entries • ‘Why does it make a difference?’ • June 2020 – Finals at RAF Cosford • and ‘How does it work?’ Thinking of entering? Keep us all updated on Twitter by Latest date for submission of entries is 8 November tagging @CorpsSTEM, @aircadets and 2019. Entries should complete the online @RAFEngComp form HERE which requires you to upload you entry. It can also be completed by sending your entry to the Competition Mailbox: [email protected]