December 31, 2024 | International, C4ISR, Security
SAIC wins spot on $1.8bn US DoD PRISM contract
SAIC has secured a position on the $1.8bn Personnel and Readiness Infrastructure Support Management (prism) contract vehicle.
March 2, 2023 | International, Other Defence
Taiwan military to get $619 million U.S. arms boost as China keeps up pressure
The arms sales are likely to further sour already tense ties between Washington and Beijing.
On the same subject
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September 10, 2020 | International, Aerospace, C4ISR
Pentagon to pit AI against human pilots in live fighter trials
Aaron Mehta and Andrew Eversden WASHINGTON — U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper announced Wednesday that the Pentagon intends to conduct live trials pitting tactical aircraft controlled by artificial intelligence against human pilots in 2024. The announcement comes three weeks after an AI algorithm defeated a human pilot in a simulated dogfight between F-16s, something Esper described as an example of the “tectonic impact of machine learning” for the Defense Department's future. “The AI agent's resounding victory demonstrated the ability of advanced algorithms to outperform humans in virtual dogfights. These simulations will culminate in a real-world competition involving full-scale tactical aircraft in 2024,” Esper said in prepared remarks delivered to the department's Artificial Intelligence Symposium. The Aug. 20 test was the finale of the Pentagon research agency's AI air combat competition. The algorithm, developed by Heron Systems, easily defeated the fighter pilot in all five rounds that capped off a yearlong competition hosted by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. Heron's AI system gained notoriety throughout the competition for its aggressiveness and the accuracy of its shot. But the system wasn't perfect. Heron often made an error in basic fighter maneuvers by turning away from enemy aircraft to where the AI thought the other aircraft would go. It was then unable to recover throughout the fights. “There are a lot caveats and disclaimers to add in here,” Col. Dan Javorsek, program manager in DARPA's Strategic Technology Office, said after the test, including that the AI had significant information that might not be available in an actual combat scenario. Military officials have long eyed the potential for AI to control aircraft, whether as part of a “loyal wingman” setup where a number of systems are controlled by one pilot, or through taking existing systems and making them optionally manned. https://www.c4isrnet.com/artificial-intelligence/2020/09/09/dod-to-pit-ai-vs-human-pilots-in-live-fighter-trials-by-2024/
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August 30, 2023 | International, Naval
German navy will lead drill to defend the Baltics from the sea
Exercise planners consider the scenario a real-world test of an attack against the NATO alliance.