Charter

1. The Board’s Official Designation: The board shall be known as the Maritime Unmanned Systems Innovation Advisory Board (“the IAB”).

2. Authority: The MUS Initiative (MUS) is a NATO multinational cooperation effort, launched by a Declaration of Intent signed by Defense Ministers on 03 October 2018. Its dedicated governance body is the MUS Initiative Steering Board. The MUS Initiative Steering Board, in accordance with the provisions in the Fourth Steering Board Decision Sheet (page B-18, section 3.4.), acknowledge the creation of the IAB and looks forward to the recommendations from this board.

3. Objectives and Scope of Activities: The IAB shall provide the MUSI Steering Board with independent advice and recommendations on critical matters concerning the rapid development and integration of Maritime Unmanned Systems into Allied navies, as set out in paragraph four below.

4. Description of Duties: The IAB shall provide independent advice and recommendations on innovative means to identify opportunities and address current and future challenges concerning the use of unmanned systems within maritime warfare, including, rapid implementation of new and disruptive technologies, cross-domain system integration (above, on, and below the water) as well as cross-domain integration across the Alliance’s different capabilities with regard to manned and unmanned systems, NATO standardization practices, and provide guidance on the overall strategic direction of the Board and its initiatives.

5. Agency or Official to Whom the Board Reports: The IAB shall report to the MUSI Steering Board, who may act upon the Board’s advice and recommendations.

6. Estimated Operating Costs: The estimated annual operating cost, to include travel and meetings and facility costs, is approximately 30,000.00 Eur, which excludes per diem and other Extra Budgetary Fund. With the exception of reimbursement of official travel and per diem related to the Board, members shall serve without compensation.

7. Estimated Number and Frequency of Meetings: The estimated number of meetings is once annually. However, there is no set number and the MUSIC^2 Director/Chair reserves the right to call additional meetings.

8. Duration: There is a continuing need for this advisory function; however, the MUS Initiative Steering Board may decide to renew or dissolve the IAB at its discretion.

9. Membership and Designation: The IAB shall be composed of no more than 16 members (excluding co-chairs) who serve on the board at the discreation of the MUSIC^2 Director. The members must possess some or all of the following:

 (a) Diverse backgrounds, experience, and areas of expertise.
 (b) They will be united by a personal and professional history of challenging the status quo.
 (c) Demonstrated performance in identifying new technology and process innovations into the operations of large organizations in either the public or private sector.

10. All Board members will be reimbursed for travel and per diem as it pertains to official business of the IAB, using the reimbursement guidelines for the NATO International Staff.

11. Each member is appointed to provide advice on the basis of his or her best judgement without representing any particular point of view and in a manner that is free from conflict of interest.

12. All members of the MUS Innovation Advisory Board (IAB) are expected to maintain the highest standards of ethical conduct and avoid conflicts of interest when and if they arise. Although the nature of the work of the MUS IAB is not expected to create any conflicts of interest or provide any competitive benefits to members or participants, it is impossible to predict the nature of information created by the working group, or the possible uses of that information. Therefore, each member is expected to identify any potential conflict of interest and take appropriate action, to include recusing him/herself from those discussions, signing a nondisclosure agreement agreeing to not use such information outside the working group, or other such action as agreed by the Chair of the MUS IAB.