AI / ML | Soldier Systems Daily Soldier Systems Daily

Archive for the ‘AI / ML’ Category

Raft Awarded Contract for Desert Sentry to Accelerate Operator-Centric AI for CENTCOM Missions

Saturday, January 24th, 2026

Raft’s AI Mission System empowers CENTCOM operators with on-demand computer vision tailored to real-world missions – broad-area satellite search, distributed maritime monitoring, and counter-UxS threat detection.

MCLEAN, Va., Jan. 22, 2026 — Raft, a leading defense technology company, powering the software-driven foundation of modern warfare, has been awarded a highly competitive Other Transaction Agreement (OTA) by the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO), in partnership with U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), following a five-day vendor bake-off. Hosted last fall by CENTCOM, the evaluation sought cutting-edge solutions to operationalize AI on the battlefield. Raft’s win underscores its ability to rapidly deliver deployable, operator-ready technology that meets the evolving demands of the modern fight.

Raft’s AI Mission System ([R] AIMS) delivers a no-code machine learning system that puts the power of computer vision directly into the hands of operators. Raft built and deployed a fully containerized, Agentic AI platform that enables operators to train, evaluate, and deploy new Computer Vision models with confidence and verifiability—no data science background required.

“This wasn’t about building another tool,” said Shubhi Mishra, founder and CEO of Raft. “This was about rethinking how AI gets built for mission-critical environments and how we empower operators to adapt when the mission demands it. Raft exists to turn operators into super-operators, and that starts by putting AI creation directly in their hands.”

By integrating seamlessly with NGA Maven workflows, [R]AIMS enables model refresh in days—supporting key use cases like:

Satellite Broad Area Search: Quickly train gap-filler models on-the-fly to support large-scale overhead imagery tasks

Distributed Monitoring: Enable task forces like TF-59 to deploy and adapt CV models across maritime environments

Counter-UxS Threat Detection: Build computer vision to detect, label, and characterize optical threats without waiting on centralized updates

Built with Raft’s agentic AI principles at its core, the system features built-in guardrails via [R]AIMS and machine-assisted feedback loops for Responsible AI—ensuring every model is traceable, adaptable, and aligned with mission intent.

“[R]AIMS Vision enables something we’ve been chasing for years: COCOMs building their own AI at the speed of the mission,” said Bhaarat Sharma, CTO at Raft. “This is how you scale intelligence across the force—by putting tools in the hands of operators and giving them the autonomy to iterate in real time.”

[R]AIMS validates what is possible when Agentic AI moves beyond conversational interfaces to deliver autonomous, operator-controlled computer vision that adapts at mission speed. Operators rapidly created new gap-filler models for unplanned ISR scenarios—without needing data scientists on call. The system even handled optical threat detection and object tracking in real time, including NITF and other complex formats. [R]AIMS is now positioned for rapid expansion across combatant commands, supporting faster intelligence cycles, better decision-making, and real-time adaptation on the battlefield.

For more information about Raft, visit www.teamraft.com.

Posted in AI / ML, Industry, Press Release | Comments Off on Raft Awarded Contract for Desert Sentry to Accelerate Operator-Centric AI for CENTCOM Missions

JMRC Trains World-Class OC/Ts

Tuesday, January 13th, 2026

HOHENFELS TRAINING AREA, Germany – The Joint Multinational Readiness Center (JMRC) has been training its Observer, Controller/Trainers (OC/T) in new technologies to keep its world-class training ready for the future fight.

The OC/Ts from the nine “critter” teams are being trained in evolving tasks and technologies such as Maven, electronic warfare (EW), unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), and integrated tactical network (ITN).

“This OC/T recertification training is an opportunity for the OC/Ts to become proficient on some tasks that are constantly changing and new,” said Maj. Dustin Allen, deputy operations for JMRC. “It’s to meet higher headquarters’ intents of knowing new technologies so that we can better facilitate the rotational units as they come through ‘the Box’.”

One of the systems that the OC/Ts are training on is the Maven Smart System. The Maven Smart System is the Department of Defense’s most prominent artificial intelligence capability. Designed to process drone imagery and full-motion video, Maven integrates sensors with artificial intelligence and machine learning to enhance battlefield awareness and support operations such as targeting, logistics planning and predicting supply requirements for deployed Soldiers.

“Maven is something that is near and dear to (U.S. Army Europe and Africa’s) heart,” said Allen. “We are trying to incorporate it into our daily battle rhythms, so that the critter teams are well versed in it. We also want to be able to teach the rotational units that come through that aren’t familiar with the system and get them better with it.”

OC/Ts have also been working with UAS. UAS training develops Soldiers’ abilities to operate and employ aerial systems in support of reconnaissance, intelligence collection, and mission planning, helping to facilitate the combined arms fight on the ground.

“UAS is a big push, especially in past rotations where we have seen a massive increase in UAS capabilities on the battlefield,” said Allen. “OC/Ts are going to have their own UAS so that they can send a drone up and inject it there, and watch the rotational units’ UAS.”

Another system that has been seen on the battlefield that OC/Ts are being trained on is EW. EW enhances commanders’ abilities to detect, disrupt and protect against enemy electromagnetic capabilities, enabling freedom-of-action across the battlefield.

“Big in current warfare is the introduction of electronic warfare,” said Allen. “During this time, we are giving the OC/Ts the opportunity to see and become familiar with the vastly growing EW capabilities.”

The last system that the OC/Ts are being trained on is the ITN. ITN delivers secure, resilient and expeditionary communications that connect Soldiers, platforms and command posts across the battlefield. ITN is designed to operate in contested and degraded environments, and enable timely data sharing and mission command to support multi-domain operations.

“You can interconnect the radios that we use for our communications network across Hohenfels and JMRC, so we can communicate more clearly across the box,” said Allen.

“Our OC/Ts are already world-class,” said Allen. “This training can help make them even better and have more systems that they are proficient in. We’re really going to see all this hard work they are putting in, be used in the next Combine Resolve we host, and I’m excited to see them use all these new systems we have.”

Story by SGT Collin Mackall

7th Army Training Command

Posted in AI / ML, Army, Drone, EW, Guest Post, Training | No Comments »

Magnet Defense Enters into Definitive Agreement to Acquire ATG to Accelerate Integration of AI-Enabled Autonomy Solutions for National Security

Monday, January 12th, 2026

MIAMI, Jan. 9, 2026 — Today, Magnet Defense LLC, a developer of fully autonomous national security maritime platforms for fleet operations and missile defense missions, announces that it has officially entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Advanced Technology Group (ATG), subject to customary closing conditions. This acquisition further enhances Magnet Defense’s autonomy solutions by incorporating ATG’s open-architecture AI solutions into its DefendAI battlespace management suite. These are the brains and backbone behind Magnet Defense’s end-to-end AI-enabled autonomous maritime defense solutions.

ATG delivers end-to-end development and integration of advanced Command and Control and Artificial Intelligence capabilities for air, space, maritime, and surface platforms. With an elite group of mission architects, AI integrators, and software engineers, ATG is solving some of the U.S. Department of War’s most difficult challenges across all domains. ATG’s capabilities will accelerate Magnet Defense’s seamless integration of its platforms into theater and operational battlespace management systems.

Magnet Defense intends to begin aligning and integrating ATG’s Autonomy Exchange for Interoperable Modularity (AXIOM) AI-enabled autonomy stack with its own proven autonomy capabilities. AXIOM’s set of proven mission modules will streamline Magnet Defense’s integration into the native command and control systems found in military services, operations centers, and combatant commands across the sea, land, air, space, and cyber domains. ATG’s leadership and employees will continue to support existing customers while contributing to expanded programs across the combined organization.

About Magnet Defense
Magnet Defense is a developer of fully autonomous national security maritime platforms for fleet operations and missile defense missions. We integrate AI-driven software solutions, advanced manufacturing systems, and mission architecture expertise to deliver the most advanced purpose-built USVs for the U.S. and allied militaries. Learn more at www.magnetdefense.com

Posted in AI / ML, Industry, Maritime, Press Release | No Comments »

AI in Battle Management: A Collaborative Effort Across Borders

Thursday, January 8th, 2026

The 2025 series of the Decision Advantage Sprint for Human-Machine Teaming marked a significant step forward in the integration of artificial intelligence and machine learning into battle management operations. Through a series of groundbreaking experiments, including the recent DASH 3 iteration, the U.S. Air Force, alongside its coalition partners, Canada and the United Kingdom, tested and refined AI’s potential to enhance decision-making, improve operational efficiency, and strengthen interoperability in the face of growing global security challenges.

Held at the unclassified location of the Shadow Operations Center-Nellis in downtown Las Vegas, DASH 3 set the stage for this collaboration, led by the Advanced Battle Management System Cross-Functional Team. The experiment was executed in partnership with the Air Force Research Lab’s 711th Human Performance Wing, U.S. Space Force, and the 805th Combat Training Squadron, also known as the ShOC-N, further solidifying the commitment to advancing battle management capabilities for the future.

AI Integration into Operational Decision-Making

In the third iteration of the DASH series seven teams, six from industry teams and one from the ShOC-N innovation team partnered with U.S., Canadian, and U.K. operators to test a range of decision advantage tools aimed at enhancing the rapid and effective generation of battle course of actions with multiple paths. The goal of a Battle COA is to map sequences of actions that align with the commander’s intent while overcoming the complexities of modern warfare, including the fog and friction of battle. Examples of Battle COAs include recommended solutions for long-range kill chains, electromagnetic battle management problems, space and cyber challenges, or agile combat employment such as re-basing aircraft.

U.S. Air Force Col. John Ohlund, ABMS Cross Functional Team lead overseeing capability development, explained the importance of flexibility in COA generation: “For example, a bomber may be able to attack from multiple avenues of approach, each presenting unique risks and requires different supporting assets such as cyber, ISR [intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance], refueling, and air defense suppression. Machines can generate multiple paths, supporting assets, compounding uncertainties, timing, and more. Machines provide a rich solution space where many COAs are explored, but only some are executed, ensuring options remain open as the situation develops.”

This ability to explore multiple COAs simultaneously allows for faster adaptation to unforeseen challenges and provides operators with diverse strategies to act upon as the situation unfolds. AI’s integration into this process aims to not only speed up the decision-making cycle but also increase the quality of the solutions generated.

AI Speeds Decision Advantage

The speed at which AI systems can generate actionable recommendations is proving to be a game-changer in the decision-making process. Transitioning from the manual creation of COAs that once took minutes or tens of minutes to producing viable options in just tens of seconds was identified as a radical advantage in combat scenarios. Initial results from the DASH 3 experiment show the power of AI in enabling faster, more efficient decision-making.

“AI systems demonstrated the ability to generate multi-domain COAs considering risk, fuel, time constraints, force packaging, and geospatial routing in under one minute,” said Ohlund. “These machine-generated recommendations were up to 90% faster than traditional methods, with the best in machine-class solutions showing 97% viability and tactical validity.”

For comparison, human performance in generating courses of action typically took around 19 minutes, with only 48% of the options being considered viable and tactically valid.

“This dramatic reduction in time and improvement in the quality of solutions underscores AI’s potential to significantly enhance the speed and accuracy of the decision-making process, while still allowing humans to make the final decisions on the battlefield,” Ohlund added.

The ability to quickly generate multiple viable COAs not only improves the speed of decision-making but also gives commanders more options to work within a compressed time frame, making AI an essential tool for maintaining a strategic advantage in fast-paced combat situations.

Building Trust in AI: From Skepticism to Confidence

Skepticism surrounding the integration of AI in operational decision-making was common at the start of the DASH 3 experiment. However, participating operators saw a notable shift in their perspectives as the DASH progressed. U.S. Air Force First Lt. Ashley Nguyen, 964th Airborne Air Control Squadron DASH 3 participant, expressed initial doubt about the role AI could play in such a complex process. “I was skeptical about technology being integrated into decision-making, given how difficult and nuanced battle COA building can be,” said Nguyen. “But working with the tools, I saw how user-friendly and timesaving they could be. The AI didn’t replace us; it gave us a solid starting point to build from.”

As the experiment unfolded, trust in AI steadily increased. Operators, gaining more hands-on experience, began to see the value in the AI’s ability to generate viable solutions at an unprecedented speed. “Some of the AI-generated outputs were about 80% solutions,” said Nguyen. “They weren’t perfect, but they were a good foundation. This increased my trust in the system; AI became a helpful tool in generating a starting point for decision-making.”

Trust and Collaboration Across Nations

The collaboration between the U.S. and its coalition partners was highlighted throughout the 2025 DASH series. The inclusion of operators from the UK and Canada brought invaluable perspectives, ensuring that the decision support tools tested could address a broad range of operational requirements.

“We understand that the next conflict cannot be won alone without the help of machine teammates and supported by our allies,” said Royal Canadian Air Force Capt. Dennis Williams, RCAF DASH 3 participant. “DASH 3 demonstrated the value of these partnerships as we worked together in a coalition-led, simulated combat scenario. The tools we tested are vital for maintaining a decision advantage, and we look forward to expanding this collaboration in future DASH events.”

This integration of human-machine teaming and coalition participation highlighted the potential for improving multinational interoperability in the command-and-control battlespace. “The involvement of our coalition partners was crucial, not just for the success of DASH 3 but also for reinforcing the alliances that underpin global security. DASH experimentation is intentionally a low barrier for entry from a security classification standpoint, enabling broad participation from allies and coalition partners alike,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Shawn Finney, commander of the 805th Combat Training Squadron/ShOC-N.

Addressing Challenges: Weather and AI Hallucinations

The DASH 3 experiment was not just a test of new AI tools, but a continuation of a concerted effort to tackle persistent challenges, including the integration of weather data and the potential for AI “hallucinations.” These issues have been focus areas throughout the DASH series, with each iteration bringing new insights and refinements to ensure AI systems are operationally effective.

Weather-related challenges are a critical factor in real-world operations, but due to simulation limitations, they were not fully integrated in the DASH series. Instead, weather-related challenges were manually simulated by human operators through ‘white carding’, a method that provided scenario-based weather effects, such as airfield closures or delays, into the experiment.

“We didn’t overlook the role of weather,” explained Ohlund. “While it wasn’t a primary focus of this experiment, we fully understand its operational impact and are committed to integrating weather data into future decision-making models.”

The risk of AI hallucinations, instances where AI produces incorrect or irrelevant outputs, particularly when using large language models, was another challenge tackled during the DASH 3 experiment. Aware of this potential issue, the development teams took proactive steps to design AI tools that minimized the risk of hallucinations and organizers diligently monitored the outputs throughout the experiment.

“Our team didn’t observe hallucinations during the experiment, underscoring the effectiveness of the AI systems employed during the experiment,” said Ohlund. “While this is a positive outcome, we remain vigilant about the potential risks, particularly when utilizing LLMs that may not be trained on military-specific jargon and acronyms. We are actively refining our systems to mitigate these risks and ensure AI outputs are reliable and relevant.”

Looking Ahead: Building Trust in AI for Future Operations

As the U.S. Air Force moves forward with the 2026 series of DASH experiments, the lessons learned from 2025 iterations will serve as a crucial foundation for future efforts. The growing trust in human-machine collaboration, the strengthening of international partnerships, and the continuous refinement of AI tools all point to a future where AI plays an integral role in operational decision-making.

“The 2025 DASH series has established a strong foundation for future experiments, with the potential to further expand AI’s role in battle management,” said Ohlund. “By continuing to build trust with operators, improve AI systems, and foster international cooperation, the U.S. and its allies are taking critical steps toward ensuring they are prepared to address the evolving challenges of modern warfare.”

“This is just the beginning,” said Williams. “The more we can integrate AI into the decision-making process, the more time we can free up to focus on the human aspects of warfare. These tools are key to staying ahead of our adversaries and maintaining peace and stability on a global scale.”

Deb Henley

505th Command and Control Wing

Public Affairs

Posted in AI / ML, Air Force, C5ISR, Guest Post | No Comments »

Tiberius Aerospace’s GRAIL Assessed “Awardable” for Department of War Work in the CDAO’s Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace

Monday, January 5th, 2026

Tiberius Aerospace, a modern defence technology company built to empower the UK, US and their global allies and partners with next-generation weapon systems and AI-powered solutions, has achieved “Awardable” status for their GRAIL (Generative Real-Time Artificial Intelligence for Lethality) platform through the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office’s (CDAO) Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace.

The Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace is the premier offering of Tradewinds, the Department of War’s suite of tools and services designed to accelerate the procurement and adoption of AI/ML, data, and analytics capabilities. The Solutions Marketplace Model is fully compliant with the SECWAR Memo entitled “Directing Software Acquisition to Maximize Lethality” (March 6, 2025) and the Executive Order entitled “Modernizing Defense Acquisitions and Spurring Innovation in the Defense Industrial Base” (April 9, 2025).

Tiberius GRAIL is an integrated AI platform designed to transform how defense capabilities are evaluated, acquired, and fielded. The platform includes AI-powered weapon system analysis delivering Cost-Efficient Lethality Scores (CELS) in seconds rather than months; a defense marketplace reducing acquisition timelines from 12+ years to under 2 years; and secure coalition collaboration tools with automated export control enforcement.

Tiberius Aerospace’s video, “GRAIL: The Operating System for Coalition Defense,” is accessible to government customers on the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace, and demonstrates how GRAIL enables rapid capability evaluation, transparent supplier discovery, and coalition-wide collaboration.

Tiberius Aerospace was recognized among a competitive field of applicants to the Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace whose solutions demonstrated innovation, scalability and potential impact on DoW missions. Government customers interested in viewing the video solution can create a Tradewinds Solutions Marketplace account at tradewindAI.com.

Blythe Crawford CBE, Director GRAIL said, “Having served with 1st Infantry Division in Bagdad, commanded 121 Expeditionary Air Wing and been intimately involved in the rapid development of urgent operational capability in the Pentagon and as Commandant Air and Space Warfare Centre it is clear that to maintain a battle winning edge, defense acquisition must undergo a wholesale transformation to deliver new innovative capability to the warfighter quicker, and GRAIL has been built to accelerate that shift – this is a shift from the analogue to the digital, from bureaucratic waterfall to Silicon Valley-modelled agile – it is not just our tech which has to change in this way, but the means by which we deliver it.” he added, “This recognition from CDAO validates our approach: replacing subjective, years-long procurement processes with objective, AI-powered analysis that gets capability to the warfighter faster. The GRAIL Alliance creates the necessary ecosystem to facilitate this change, and we now have over 100 key defense contractors, OEMs and primes signed up to participate.”

Posted in AI / ML, Press Release | No Comments »

Army Establishes New AI, Machine Learning Career Path for Officers

Sunday, January 4th, 2026

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army has established a new career pathway for officers to specialize in artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), formally designating the 49B AI/ML Officer as an official area of concentration. It advances the Army’s ongoing transformation into a data-centric and AI-enabled force.

Full implementation of the new career field will be phased. The first selection of officers will occur through the Army’s Volunteer Transfer Incentive Program (VTIP) beginning January 2026. The officers will be reclassified by the end of fiscal year 2026.

“This is a deliberate and crucial step in keeping pace with present and future operational requirements,” said Lt. Col. Orlandon Howard, U.S. Army spokesperson. “We’re building a dedicated cadre of in-house experts who will be at the forefront of integrating AI and machine learning across our warfighting functions.”

Initially, the 49B AOC will be open to all officers eligible for the VTIP. Those with advanced academic and technical backgrounds in fields related to AI/ML will be particularly competitive candidates. The Army is also exploring expanding this specialized field to include warrant officers in the future.

Officers selected for the 49B AOC will undergo rigorous graduate-level training and gain hands-on experience in building, deploying, and maintaining the Army’s cutting-edge AI-enabled systems. Their primary role will be to operationalize these advanced capabilities across the range of military operations.

The strategic purpose of this new MOS is to provide the Army with a core group of uniformed experts who can accelerate the integration of AI and machine learning. These specialists will apply their talents to a wide range of applications, including:

Accelerating battlefield decision-making: Enabling commanders to make faster, more informed decisions in complex environments.
Streamlining logistics: Optimizing supply chain and maintenance operations.
Supporting robotics and autonomous systems: Fielding and managing the next generation of battlefield robotics.

“Establishing the 49B AI/ML career path is another key investment to maintain our decisive edge as an Army,” said Howard. “Ultimately, it’s about building a force that can outthink, outpace, and outmaneuver any adversary.”

By U.S. Army Communication and Outreach Office

Posted in AI / ML, Army, Guest Post, TacJobs | No Comments »

Autonomy in Action: Advancing CBRN Defense Capabilities with Unmanned Systems

Saturday, January 3rd, 2026

Our Nation’s warfighters encounter many known and unknown hazards on the modern battlefield including chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) threats. Hand-held detection and identification capabilities enhance situational awareness and enable early warning and mitigation, but they can also be time intensive and physiologically burdensome. Additionally, some environments pose too great a risk or are simply inaccessible to warfighters. This is where the use of critical integrated layered CBRN defense assets like autonomous systems comes in.

In CBRN defense, an autonomous system refers to a capability that can independently detect, identify, and/or mitigate CBRN threats by leveraging sensors, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), and automated decision-making algorithms. The key feature lies in its ability to function independently, acting as an intelligent partner, and keeping the warfighter at a safe distance, therefore enhancing force protection.

Currently, the Capability Program Executive Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear Defense (CPE CBRND) manages autonomous system efforts including the CBRN Sensor Integration on Robotic Platforms (CSIRP) and the Autonomous Decontamination System (ADS).

CSIRP is a rapid prototyping and fielding effort led by the CPE CBRND’s Joint Project Manager for CBRN Sensors (JPM CBRN Sensors) that focuses on integrating modular CBRN sensor solutions to enhance Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) and Unmanned Ground Vehicles. It exploits advances in sensing, AI, machine learning, autonomy, and communications to enable timely and accurate detection, early warning, and reporting of CBRN hazards, benefiting the warfighter by reducing response times and limiting risk of exposure to CBRN threats.

The CSIRP SkyRaider UAS CBRN Hazard Mapping system is an example of CSIRP in action. The CSIRP SkyRaider UAS is a drone with modular detection equipment or sensors attached that can display CBRN hazard information on mapping, targeting, and communication devices. Once launched from the ground or platform, it is capable of autonomous operation beyond line-of-sight and can complete the programmed mission even through loss of GPS or communications. It is capable of self-navigating to the target, maneuvering in tight spaces, and avoiding obstacles.

Likewise, the ADS program, led by the CPE CBRND’s Joint Project Manager for CBRN Protection (JPM CBRN Protection) will provide increased safety and efficiency of chemical and biological (CB) decontamination operations by utilizing automated, semi-autonomous, and/or autonomous processes to mitigate contamination on critical mission equipment, infrastructure, and terrain. ADS reduces reliance on warfighters’ manual labor and optimizes resource consumption.

To illustrate how these autonomous systems benefit the warfighter and Joint Force mission, imagine a platoon situated in a contested environment. The adversary launches a missile armed with a chemical warfare agent nearby and the dispersal pattern is unpredictable due to the terrain, wind conditions, and the missile’s detonation characteristics. Manned detection slows contamination mapping and poses risk to the Force, so rather than putting warfighters at risk, the platoon leader would deploy the SkyRaider UAS equipped with chemical sensors to quickly self-navigate and assess the broader area. This unmanned, rapid assessment minimizes personnel exposure and enhances force protection by communicating to leaders the timely information needed to make informed decisions. In this case, the platoon leader might deploy an ADS to decontaminate any equipment or areas the platoon will need to traverse, mitigating the risk of exposure to the warfighters through robotic means and reducing the time and logistical burden required to conduct decontamination operations.

Mark Colgan, CSIRP lead systems engineer for JPM CBRN Sensors, states, “Currently, warfighters have to suit up, do their mission, and then decontaminate their protective gear, equipment, vehicles, and more. We can now skip some of those steps by automating the process. They get the same results while remaining safe and completing the mission faster.”

The CSIRP effort is in constant pursuit of advanced sensing capabilities and improvements to leverage autonomy, specifically through its use of algorithms. To keep pace with advancing technologies, JPM CBRN Sensors and JPM CBRN Protection leverage CPE CBRND’s Joint Enterprise Technology Tool (JETT), a web-based platform designed to facilitate communication between the U.S. Government and industry members, for market research and to gain a better understanding of what industry is developing and their focus areas as they relate to program needs. The JPM CBRN Sensors team has utilized JETT to identify and engage with more than a dozen vendors with capabilities relevant to CSIRP. Colgan states, “JETT has proven valuable in answering the questions of ‘What else is out there?’ and ‘What’s coming next?”

This aligns with the Department of War’s Acquisition Transformation Strategy, which, in part, acknowledges that industry often outpaces the Defense Industrial Base and that the Department “must adopt an industry-driven environment for companies to share their product and service offerings to accelerate and scale capability delivery,” as well as “enable industry to better understand the Department’s needs and demonstrate mature products and services early in the acquisition process.”

To date, improvements have included software designed to operate with CPE CBRND’s CBRN Support to Command and Control (CSC2), which integrates CBRN sensor data and information into a common operating picture and provides actionable information to Commanders throughout the battlespace; flight software and sensor-driven algorithms that enable a number of unmanned systems to autonomously team up and relay messages among themselves and with their human counterparts; algorithms that synthesize data; and more.

As it stands, autonomous systems provide a decisive warfighter advantage by performing standoff detection of CBRN threats and critical decontamination functions so the warfighter can focus—at a safe distance—on the larger mission at hand. Looking ahead, AI and technology advancements will continue to optimize the role autonomous systems play in CBRN defense, enabling our warfighters to operate in a CBRN contested environment with more confidence.

By Vashelle Nino CPE CBRND Public Affairs

Posted in AI / ML, Army, CBRNE, Guest Post, Robotics | No Comments »

Army Teams with Industry to Refine AI Potential Supporting Command and Control

Wednesday, December 17th, 2025

ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Md. — There are no algorithms in foxholes – yet.

While the U.S. Army has applied emerging artificial intelligence tools to streamline processes across the enterprise — most recently with the rollout of the Department of War’s new generative AI website, GenAI.mil — the impact of AI on the tactical edge Soldier and commander is still taking shape.

With the help of industry experts and Soldier experimentation, however, the Army is building a blueprint for algorithmic warfare at the edge across technology, training, concepts, procurement, and ethical implementation. The potential of AI supporting command and control, C2 — using tools to rapidly process data, inform commanders’ decisions, speed the fires kill chain, and reduce the cognitive burden on Soldiers — is a major focus of ongoing operational prototyping of Next Generation Command and Control, NGC2, the Army’s priority effort to leverage rapid progress in commercial technology to deliver information across all warfighting functions.

The overarching goal of AI for C2, leaders said, is to enable human decisions at machine speed.

“No other technology will have a bigger impact on future warfare than artificial intelligence,” said Brig. Gen. Michael Kaloostian, director of the Command and Control Future Capability Directorate, U.S. Army Transformation and Training Command. “The way we harness and adopt AI to support decision-making, and to make sense of what is expected to be a very chaotic battlefield in the future, will ultimately give commanders options to achieve decision overmatch.”

Applying AI at echelon — designing secure models for austere conditions, tailorable for specific missions and warfighting functions — was the focus of an industry workshop conducted earlier this month by the C2 Future Capability Directorate and Army Contracting Command-Aberdeen Proving Ground.

The market research event, with technical experts from a range of companies and Army organizations, produced feedback on how the Army can better leverage private sector innovation in AI for C2. Areas to maximize industry opportunities and expertise included prioritization of desired capabilities over time, as well as the availability and relevance of Army warfighting and training data that AI models can consume.

“Everybody sees private sector investment happening in AI, so where does the tactical Army fit in the AI market?” said Col. Chris Anderson, project manager Data and AI for Capability Program Executive Command, Control, Communications and Network. “The Army’s unique value proposition for industry is our data and access to warfighters.”

The workshop session also came on the heels of a request for information released on Sam.gov on Dec. 2, focused on gaining industry feedback on the emerging data architecture for NGC2. The Army securely shared the draft architecture on Sam.gov to foster transparency and invite industry ideas that will augment the current NGC2 prototype experimentation and designs underway with vendor teams supporting the 4th Infantry Division and 25th Infantry Division.

“The Army’s approach with Next Generation C2 has always been commercially driven, with industry as foundational partners,” said Joe Welch, portfolio acquisition executive for C2/Counter C2, and Executive Director, T2COM. “That means all of industry — not just our current team leads, but a large range of companies that can contribute to a thriving ecosystem. This RFI is another step in our commitment to sharing technical details and applying industry feedback as we move forward with NGC2.”

One challenge the Army and industry are jointly facing with AI implementation at the edge is that models are only as good as the data they can ingest and interpret. But available data, as well as computing and network resources required to process it, will vary widely depending on the tactical environment.

“For AI at the strategic level, that’s almost entirely unconstrained by store and compute,” Anderson said. “Down at the foxhole, it’s an entirely different story.”

Because of that complexity, the Army is designing the NGC2 ecosystem to rapidly onboard new AI models, building on a common foundation but able to address new missions and environments.

“We’re looking to really provide an ecosystem so that model developers and Soldiers have the capability to fine-tune models at the edge,” Welch said. “When we say that the Army has specific model gaps that we need addressed, it will be a pipeline to very rapidly move that through.”

Another element of the Army’s roadmap is determining what algorithmic warfare capability is required by echelon, from Corps to company and below, informed by the data each unit needs to make decisions, Kaloostian said. The NGC2 prototyping underway with the 4th ID’s Ivy Sting and 25th ID’s Lightning Surge events is providing significant insight into those requirements, as well as the tactics, techniques and procedures for employing different AI applications, he said.

Even as technology and concepts rapidly evolve, the Army will maintain its ethical standards in using AI to support C2 decisions made by humans, leaders said. For example, during the 4ID Ivy Sting series at Fort Carson, Colorado, the division has trained AI models to review sensor data and rapidly recognize, process, and nominate targets. The commander reviews that information and decides whether to order a fire mission. At the staff level, AI can also reduce the time Soldiers spend sifting through and organizing data from a constantly expanding range of data sources and digital systems.

“A lot of what we’re looking to provide here is a reduction in the cognitive burden that comes with the use of a lot of digital tools,” Welch said. “Not just AI target recognition, but generalized AI capabilities are going to help lower that cognitive burden so that our Soldiers can focus on their core tasks to complete the mission.”

By Claire Heininger

Posted in AI / ML, Army, C5ISR, Guest Post | No Comments »