Army seeks to use artificial intelligence and machine learning to help make rapid mission adjustments

Currently, the only battlefield information and data at the edge is provided by forward observers. Commanders do not have enough information to make rapid decisions and adjustment of maneuvers of projectiles in flight. Also, gun hardened tactical datalinks for munitions/radars are still in development. 

To remedy this problem, Army officials aim to use Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning (AI/ML) to produce optimization networks and algorithms that can be inserted in the Fires kill chain for rapid and flexible mission adjustments in real time, according to an Army announcement. 

Army officials are seeking proposals from industry about developing this technology. Proposals are due Nov. 30 at noon EDT. 

The project also aims to leverage Ground Radar to Projectile Datalink architecture that links projectiles in flight to Fire Control Radars and Fire Direction Center to identify data that can be used to train machine learning algorithms. 

Some examples of machine learning include: 

• Optimization of Projectiles/Targets to maximize efficiency and minimize overkill while adapting to changing battlefield conditions; 
• Use datalink to collect onboard sensor data from operational environments to train Aided Target Recognition algorithms; 
• Use machine learning to quickly assess Gun errors based on first projectile in flight’s initial trajectory and correct next rounds in real time; 
• Training architecture that can quickly optimize and produce best courses of action with confidence levels to report back to Commander for action. 

The new approach will be to utilize new Radar to Round datalinks to bring back data from the front lines to update battlefield conditions. This can be anticipated to develop optimization algorithms that can provide alternate scenarios and choices to the commander with various confidence levels to enable faster decision making. 

If successful, it could have the following impact: “Enable rapid adjustments of fires, including projectiles in flight based on changing or new threat target information; enable efficient Fires and optimization of all resources (radar, datalink, rounds in flight); enable round to round communications and optimization algorithms for minimizing overkill.”

To learn more and submit a proposal, view the posting HERE.