January 30, 2019 | International, C4ISR

How the intel community could use machines and AI

The intelligence community has unveiled its multi-pronged plan to compete in the increasingly digital and data-centric world.

The strategy, titled “Augmenting Intelligence using Machines (AIM)” and released Jan. 16, outlines how the intelligence community will adjust its investments, personnel and practices to better incorporate associated technologies

“To meet its vision of ensuring intelligence advantage, the IC must adapt to the rapid global technological democratization in sensing, communications, computing, and machine analysis of data,” Sue Gordon, principal deputy director of national intelligence, said in the document. “These trends threaten to erode what were previously unique [IC] capabilities and advantages; going forward, we must improve our ability to analyze and draw conclusions from IC-wide data collections at scale.”

During remarks at an August 2018 conference, Gordon said she wants the strategy to help focus on what the IC is trying to achieve rather than the technologies that they use.She described the need for getting machines as partners to help derive intelligence as one of the two most existential threats facing the community.

The strategy lists four primary investment objectives ranked chronologically. They include:

- Immediate and ongoing needs: Creating digital foundations, data and science and technical intelligence.

- Short-term needs: Adopting commercial and open source narrow AI solutions, which are AI solutions that are designed with very specific tasks and functions.

- Medium-term needs: Make investments in the gaps such as AI assurance and multimodal AI.

- Long-term needs: Make investments in basic research focused on sense-making.

The strategy notes that the “IC must be willing to rethink or abandon processes and mechanisms designed for an earlier era, establish disciplined engineering and operations practices, and maintain an absolute focus on assuring advantage in an intensely competitive global adversarial environment.”

However, it also warns that artificial intelligence and associated technologies are not a panacea or a substitute for creating a digital foundation. Instead, the intelligence community must understand how AI algorithms may succeed and fail.

The strategy also aims to bring together disparate efforts in artificial intelligence, process automation, and IC officer augmentation as a way to match investments in AI and data from other countries. One example includes the use of such technologies to create forgeries of audio and video, often referred to as deepfakes, which could lead to difficulties in deciphering fact from fiction.

Gordon said in August that the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency is using AI to automate image processing and the National Reconnaissance Office is using artificial intelligence tools to automate analysis of streaming multi-intelligence data for detecting activity and automating tasks of scarce and expensive collection resources.

The strategy also focuses on the workforce. It notes that it is much more than technology and implementing the strategy will entail addressing workforce challenges and understanding and shaping the policies and authorities governing how the IC deploys and uses AI.

https://www.c4isrnet.com/c2-comms/2019/01/28/how-the-intel-community-could-use-machines-and-ai

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August 7, 2019 | International, Land

Elbit Systems Demonstrates an Innovative Armored Fighting Vehicle Operated by a Helmet Mounted Display
Haifa, Israel, August 04, 2019 – Elbit Systems has concluded extensive testing and carried out a series of successful capability demonstrations of its innovative Armored Fighting Vehicle (AFV), as part of the CARMEL Future Combat Vehicle project of the Israeli Ministry of Defense. The innovative AFV introduces a step change in the operational capability of combat vehicles. This is underpinned by applying autonomous capabilities and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to accelerate decision making and facilitate target engagement with dramatically increased rapidity and accuracy. Using a Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) a crew of two warriors operates the AFV under closed hatches, further enhancing capabilities and survivability. The AFV successfully demonstrated its capacity to function as an independent high fire-power strike cell, as a networked station for multi-spectral sensing and information fusion, as well as a base platform for operating additional unmanned systems. The capabilities were exhibited by a technology demonstrator integrating a range of the Company's systems, among them: UT30 unmanned turret, Iron Vision HMD, a land robotic suite, TORCH Command & Control (C2) system, E-LynX software defined radios, SupervisIR terrain dominance system, MAY acoustic situational awareness system, AI applications, THOR Vertical Take-off and Landing (VTOL) and Pioneer fighting Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UGV). The AFV is capable of performing key combat tasks with high level of autonomy – off road driving, rapid target acquisition and prioritization, as well as fast, high precision fire missions, in day and night. The AFV is networked allowing it to carry out missions ordered by Headquarters and other fighting platforms as well as to transmit missions and intelligence to other forces. Additionally, the AFV is capable of operating other unmanned platforms such as a VTOL to feed intelligence into the crew's operational picture or a fighting UGV to perform high risk missions. Using the Iron Vision ‘See-Through' HMD, a crew of two is capable of operating the AFV entirely under closed hatches. The system transmits real-time, high resolution video to the crew's helmet mounted display, providing them with a 360° view of the surroundings, together with relevant symbology and C4I data. In addition, Iron Vision enables the crew to acquire targets, conduct line-of-sight (LOS) driving and navigation and enslave the AFV's weapons systems to their LOS. About Elbit Systems Elbit Systems Ltd. is an international high technology company engaged in a wide range of defense, homeland security and commercial programs throughout the world. 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This press release contains forward‑looking statements (within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended) regarding Elbit Systems Ltd. and/or its subsidiaries (collectively the Company), to the extent such statements do not relate to historical or current fact. Forward-looking statements are based on management's expectations, estimates, projections and assumptions. Forward‑looking statements are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended. These statements are not guarantees of future performance and involve certain risks and uncertainties, which are difficult to predict. Therefore, actual future results, performance and trends may differ materially from these forward‑looking statements due to a variety of factors, including, without limitation: scope and length of customer contracts; governmental regulations and approvals; changes in governmental budgeting priorities; general market, political and economic conditions in the countries in which the Company operates or sells, including Israel and the United States among others; differences in anticipated and actual program performance, including the ability to perform under long-term fixed-price contracts; and the outcome of legal and/or regulatory proceedings. The factors listed above are not all-inclusive, and further information is contained in Elbit Systems Ltd.'s latest annual report on Form 20-F, which is on file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward‑looking statements speak only as of the date of this release. The Company does not undertake to update its forward-looking statements. Elbit Systems Ltd., its logo, brand, product, service and process names appearing in this Press Release are the trademarks or service marks of Elbit Systems Ltd. or its affiliated companies. All other brand, product, service and process names appearing are the trademarks of their respective holders. Reference to or use of a product, service or process other than those of Elbit Systems Ltd. does not imply recommendation, approval, affiliation or sponsorship of that product, service or process by Elbit Systems Ltd. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as conferring by implication, estoppel or otherwise any license or right under any patent, copyright, trademark or other intellectual property right of Elbit Systems Ltd. or any third party, except as expressly granted herein. https://www.epicos.com/article/455197/elbit-systems-demonstrates-innovative-armored-fighting-vehicle-operated-helmet
November 7, 2018 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security

DARPA Names Potential Sites for Launch Challenge, Eighteen Teams Prequalify
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July 23, 2018 | International, Land

U.S. GOVERNMENT AWARDS LOCKHEED MARTIN CONTRACT TO BEGIN PRODUCTION OF MULTI-MISSION SURFACE COMBATANT FOR KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA
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"The MMSC provides the Royal Saudi Naval Forces a lethal and highly maneuverable multi-mission surface combatant, which features the flexibility of the Freedom-variant Littoral Combat Ship steel mono-hull with expanded capabilities that include an integrated Mk41 Vertical Launch System, an increased range of 5,000 nautical miles and speeds in excess of 30 knots, making it capable of littoral and open ocean operation, and able to confront modern maritime and economic security threats." MMSC utilizes the COMBATSS-21 Combat Management System, built from the Aegis Combat System Common Source Library, enabling anti-air and anti-surface capabilities in a small surface combatant platform. With proven combat management system lineage, Lockheed Martin's MMSC has the interoperability necessary for today's joint and allied naval force maneuvers. In March, Lockheed Martin was awarded $481 million for long lead material for MMSC. 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