August 19, 2019 | International, C4ISR
The Department of Defense is poised to spend nearly $1 billion on artificial intelligence in the next year.
The Pentagon's proposed budget for fiscal 2020 includes some $927 million for AI, as well as machine learning, according to Ainikki Riikonen, a research assistant for the Technology and National Security Program at the Center for a New American Security.
This includes $208 million earmarked for the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, which was created in 2018. The Center's initial efforts have delivered “a very mature, insightful high-level view” of issues surrounding AI, said Ian McCulloh, chief data scientist at Accenture Federal Services.
AI encompasses hardware, software, people and processes. With nearly a $1 billion bankroll, Defense Department leaders and the intelligence community are now looking for the best ways to leverage this emerging capability most effectively.
Starting point
A deep dive into the numbers shows an early emphasis on basic research. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's budget request includes $138 million for advanced land systems technology, up from $109 million in fiscal 2019. That program includes research into urban reconnaissance and AI-driven subterranean operations. DARPA's budget also includes $10 million for the Highly Networked Dissemination of Relevant Data Project, a situational awareness tool, as well as $161 million for the AI Human Machine Symbiosis Project, up from $97 million.
“That's all about creating systems and people that actually understand each other,” Riikonen said.
These foundational research efforts could yield practical results for the war fighter. But before the Pentagon can make use of AI's analytic and predictive powers, military leaders will need to ensure they have the underlying infrastructure in place.
“There's so much data available to the military, but it's stored all over the place, and rarely in a format that is easily transferrable into an algorithm,” said Todd Probert, vice president for Raytheon Intelligence, Information and Services. “If the military wants to set itself up for success, they should focus on data curation, labeling and cleaning, as well as recruiting and training the data scientists necessary to make use of it.”
Good data requires good technical people, and those aren't easy to come by. “Talent isn't cheap and it's in high demand. The government will be competing directly with industry for a very small pool of people,” Probert said. This indicates a need for early investments on talented professionals.
From there, defense can begin to look at funding specific projects and programs that take advantage of AI's capabilities.
AI applications
The Pentagon might begin by considering the potential for AI as a weapon of war. “We are only starting to scratch the surface on the impact of AI and how it can be manipulated by adversaries for nefarious purposes,” said Rahul Kashyap, president and chief executive of network traffic analysis company Awake Security.
Machine learning might help military systems be more effective, but the reliance on data could also make those systems vulnerable to new kinds of attack. “With the adversarial use of AI, there are already discussions about ways in which data we have come to rely on may be poisoned to trick the machine inputs and algorithms,” Kashyap said.
Some experts suggest that any early investments should address this potential risk, building in a defensive capability as part of AI's foundational layer.
Others say that the low-hanging fruit lies in the military's ability to leverage AI in support of mundane, but nonetheless critical, tasks.
In the near term, for example, AI spending could help provide transparency around inventory and supply chain management.
“AI could help manage the complexity behind the connectivity and flow between transportation, people, facilities and supplies including equipment, spare parts and fuel in a predictive manner,” said Brigham Bechtel, chief strategy officer for intelligence and defense at big data applications firm MarkLogic.
In this scenario, AI would leverage existing data on materiel availability and equipment performance to drive preventative maintenance, as well as parts procurement — “keeping records of millions of screws, wire couplers, and even tank gun barrels to support scaling to operational demand,” Bechtel said. That's a task for which machine-scale intelligence is ideally suited.
In the realm of ISR, some industry representatives point to “open-source intelligence” (such as social media) as a prime target for AI investments.
Sources such as Facebook and Twitter contain “significant intelligence that is beyond the scale of humans or classic computation analysis,” said Chad Steelberg, chief executive and chairman of AI-based analysis company Veritone.
As in logistics, open-source intelligence offers ample data in a space where machine-scale analytics could have a deep impact. “The war of ideas, ranging from ISIS recruiting to state-sponsored propaganda, is the most dangerous battlefronts today,” Steelberg said. “With the source of ideas now being influenced by AI, the countries that harness this new weapon most effectively will have a distinct advantage.”
The intelligence community also could benefit from AI's analytic powers to manage the sheer volume of sensor data in the field.
“Is the analyst overwhelmed with data? If so, AI has the potential to help,” said Graham Gilmer, a principal in Booz Allen Hamilton's analytics business. “Generating a more robust search capability, fusing data from multiple sources, and generally doing the heavy lifting to cue the analyst are the most immediate applications.”
In addition to addressing external data, the intelligence community could score an early win by building AI models that scrutinize conversations amongst analysts themselves.
“In an ISR suite there can be as many as 15 chat rooms going at any time, with info coming in from various units and intelligence agencies,” Probert said. “That's too much data and crosstalk for a person to manage, so information is inevitably going to be missed. We need machine learning tools that can flag critical data and alert analysts to what's important.”
All these represent valid points of inquiry and the Pentagon likely will pursue diverse variations on these themes. In the short term, though, analysts predict AI will mostly be about robots.
“Advanced automation is the fastest growing category in AI, with the rise of unmanned systems,” Riikonen said, noting it would be a natural evolution for the military to leverage private sector learning to utilize AI in support of autonomous systems. “That fits very well with the overall U.S. defense strategy, which is all about having more of these autonomous systems that support war fighters in denied and contested environments.”
In order to achieve those goals, the Defense Department may have to adopt a new way of investing in technology.
Rather than a single development effort that leads to a completed product, however, AI requires an iterative process in which the computers learn over time.
“You do small chunks, you do small bites,” said Paul Johnson, Grant Thornton public sector senior strategic adviser for the defense and intelligence community.
In this light, AI investment will require not just algorithmic development, but investment in organizational change, to spur deep interactions between stakeholders. “We need to get the coders in the same room with the end users and start having the conversation about the art of the possible,” Johnson said. “You have to have that conversation early, often and repeatedly, for the coders to understand what they need to do.”
December 11, 2023 | International, Aerospace
Boeing Co has embarked on deeper-than-expected cuts in its strategy ranks, halving the number of planners working within key divisions as it refocuses energies on tackling industrial pressures, people familiar with the matter said.
July 3, 2019 | International, Aerospace, Naval, Land, C4ISR, Security, Other Defence
NAVY Lockheed Martin Corp., Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co., Fort Worth, Texas, is awarded $348,223,161 for modification P00019 to a previously awarded cost-plus-fixed-fee contract (N00019-17-C-0001). This modification is for production non-recurring, special tooling and special test equipment in support of low-rate initial production Lot 12 F-35 Lightning II aircraft for the Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps, non-U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) partners and foreign military sales (FMS) customers. Work will be performed in Fort Worth, Texas (23.80%); El Segundo, California (23.86%); San Diego, California (17.03%); Samlesbury, United Kingdom (7.65%); Orlando, Florida (6.63%); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (3.44%); Nashua, New Hampshire (2.71%); Clearfield, Utah (2.15%); Marietta, Georgia (1.77%); East Aurora, New York (1.59%); Palmdale, California (1.40%); Cheltenham, United Kingdom (0.96%); Turin, Italy (0.81%); Clearwater, Florida (0.79%); Melbourne, Florida (0.60%); Irvine, California (0.58%); Kongsberg, Norway (0.53%); Arlington, Texas (0.48%); Rolling Meadows, Illinois (0.46%); Tempe, Arizona (0.38%); Inglewood, California (0.33%); Papendrecht, Netherlands (0.28); Garden Grove, California (0.21%); Montmorency, Australia (0.20%); Marion, Virginia (0.17%); Independence, Ohio (0.14%); Amesbury, Massachusetts (0.13%); Rome, New York (0.13%); Los Angeles, California (0.10%); Hot Springs, Arkansas (0.10%); Lystrup, Denmark (0.09%); Grand Rapids, Michigan (0.09%); Owego, New York (0.07%); Sharon, Massachusetts (0.06%); Wichita, Kansas (0.06%); Boulder, Colorado (0.05%); Carlsbad, California (0.04%); Ontario, California (0.04%); Delta, British Columbia, Canada (0.03%); Long Beach, California (0.01%); Lindenhurst, New York (0.01%); Eskisehr, Turkey (0.01%); Saint Peters, Missouri (0.01%); Santa Fe Springs, California (0.01%); and Rancho Cucamonga, California (0.01%). Work is expected to be completed in August 2022. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy and Marine Corps); fiscal 2018 and 2019 aircraft procurement (Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps); non-U.S. DoD partner and FMS funds in the amount of $348,223,161 are being obligated at time of award, $17,899,115 of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This modification combines purchases for the Air Force ($129,642,270; 38%); Navy ($69,738,685; 20%); Marine Corps ($61,001,500; 17%); non-U.S. DoD partners ($60,840,706; 17%) and FMS customers ($27,000,000; 8%). The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Anchor Innovation Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1901); Beach Marine Services Inc.,* Portsmouth, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1902); Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk Virginia (N50054-19-D-1903); East Coast Repair & Fabrication LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1904); Fairlead Boatworks Inc.,* Newport News, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1905); Lyon Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1906); Q.E.D. Systems, Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1907); United States Marine Inc.,* Gulfport, Mississippi (N50054-19-D-1908); and Willard Marine Inc.,* Virginia Beach, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1909) for Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center Marine Boatyard and Industrial Support for Lot I, and Colonna's Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1910); East Coast Repair and Fabrication LLC,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1911); Fairlead Boatworks Inc.,* Newport News, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1912); and Lyon Shipyard Inc.,* Norfolk, Virginia (N50054-19-D-1913) for Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center Marine Boatyard and Industrial Support for Lot II, are each awarded firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, multiple award contracts to furnish the management, material support services, labor, supplies and equipment deemed necessary to provide marine boatyard and industrial support which includes modifications, upgrades, service life extension and repairs to non-commissioned boats, crafts, lighterage and service craft and/or their associated systems and periodic maintenance. These contracts include options which, if exercised, would bring the cumulative ceiling value to $216,979,810. These nine small businesses will have the opportunity to provide offers for individual delivery orders. Work will be performed in the Hampton Roads, Virginia, area and is expected to be complete by July 2020, and work is expected to be completed by July 2024, if all options are exercised. Fiscal 2019 operations and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $32,500 ($2,500 minimum guarantee per contract) was obligated under each contract's initial delivery order and expires at the end of the current fiscal year. These contracts were competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website with nine offers received. The Navy's Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center, Norfolk, Virginia, is the contracting activity. Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, is awarded a maximum $99,000,000 cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, single award task order contract for aerospace medical and environmental health research support services at the Naval Medical Research Unit-Dayton. Work will be performed in Dayton, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by July 7, 2024. Fiscal 2019 research, development, testing and evaluation (Navy) funding in the amount of $1,000,000 will be obligated upon award under an initial incrementally funded task order and the funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with six offers received. The Naval Medical Logistics Command, Fort Detrick, Maryland, is the contracting activity (N62645-19-D-5005). RWG (Repair & Overhauls) USA Inc., Houston, Texas (N64498-19-D-4019); and the Canadian Commercial Corp. representing Standard Aero Energy Co. (SAE) Winnipeg, Manitoba (N64498-19-D-4020) are each awarded an indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, firm-fixed-price contract for depot level overhaul of Navy 501-K34 marine gas turbine engines for a program cumulative value of $70,000,000. The 501-K34 marine gas turbine engines are used on the Navy ship class DDG-51. Orders will be competed between both offerors. Work under N64498-19-D-4019 will be performed in Houston, Texas, and work under N64498-19-D-4020 will be performed in Winnipeg, Manitoba, and is expected to be completed by March 2024. No funding will be obligated at time of award. Funds will be obligated as individual orders are issued. These contracts were not competitively procured, in accordance with 10 U.S. Code 2304(c)(1), Limited Number of Responsible Sources. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded a $21,689,142 cost-plus-fixed-fee delivery order (N00019-19-F-2972) against a previously issued basic ordering agreement (N00019-19-G-0029). This order procures the CH-53K Data Transfer Unit and Defensive Electronic Countermeasure System Replacement program and includes necessary Non Recurring Engineering (NRE) to replace existing subsystems within the CH-53K production aircraft. NRE tasks include investigation, systems engineering support, risk analysis, integration development, weight impact and publication updates. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut (44.02%); Cedar Rapids, Iowa (41.74%); Fort Worth, Texas (7.41%); Vergennes, Vermont (2.81%); City of Industry, California (1.9%); Costa Mesa, California (1.18%); and various locations within the continental U.S. (.94%), and is expected to be completed in January 2021. Fiscal 2017 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $21,689,142 will be obligated at time of award, all of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. Epsilon Systems Solutions Inc.,* Portsmouth, Virginia, is awarded a $14,589,487 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for the repair, restoration, overhaul, assembly and test services of the Naval Submarine Universal Modular Mast (UMM). The UMM systems will be completely overhauled off-hull at the vendor's facility to a ready-for-issue status to support the fleet during maintenance availabilities. Required services will be determined on an individual task order level. Work will be performed in Portsmouth, Virginia, and is expected to be completed by July 2024. Fiscal 2019 operation and maintenance (Navy) funding in the amount of $566,676 will be obligated at time of award via the first task order and will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was competitively procured via the Federal Business Opportunities website, with two offers received. The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is the contracting activity (N64498-19-D-4027). Frequentis Defense Inc., Columbia, Maryland, is awarded an $8,454,481 firm-fixed-price contract for non-recurring engineering and logistics for the design, development, test, manufacture and repair of the MD-5A Unmanned Carrier Aviation Mission Control System, which will support the MQ-25 Stingray unmanned air vehicle. The integrated computer system will transport voice communications from carrier-based air vehicle operators to local audio switches, local radio terminals and remote radio terminals. Work will be performed in Columbia, Maryland, and is expected to be completed in March 2021. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation (Navy) funds in the amount of $8,454,481 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. This contract was not competitively procured pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation 6.302-1. The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division, Lakehurst, New Jersey, is the contracting activity (N68335-19-C-0276). Tompco Inc.,* Seabeck, Washington, is awarded $8,221,449 for firm-fixed-price task order N44255-19-F-4283 under a previously awarded multiple award construction contract (N44255-17-D-4014) for the RM #19-0166 asbestos abatement and replacement of steam condensate and high pressure drain systems, Naval Base Kitsap, Puget Sound, Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Bremerton, Washington. Scope of work includes the abatement of asbestos and replacement of systems throughout the steam distribution system to improve worker safety. This project consists of High Efficiency Particulate Air (HEPA) vacuuming all surfaces, wet wiping, scraping, shoveling, scrubbing and/or mopping where HEPA vacuuming is inadequate to containment and removal of any mud, sand, soil and dust/debris from surfaces including floors, abandoned piping removal and replacement of piping and insulation. The project area is DD5 service gallery and all connected laterals, trenches, utilidors, etc. The work will be performed in Bremerton, Washington, and is expected to be completed by Feb. 3, 2020. Fiscal 2019 working capital contract funds in the amount of $8,221,449 are obligated on this award and will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Five solicitation emails were sent and four proposals were received for this task order. The Naval Facilities Engineering Command (NAVFAC), Northwest, Silverdale, Washington, is the contracting activity for the basic contract and the NAVFAC Bremerton Field Engineering, Acquisition Department is the contracting activity for the task order. Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a Lockheed Martin Co., Stratford, Connecticut, is awarded $7,103,403 for cost-plus-fixed-fee order N00019-19-F-2555 against a previously issued basic ordering agreement N00019-19-G-0029. This order procures non-recurring engineering, development, tooling, manufacturing, qualification, reporting and delivery of the nose, main, intermediate and tail gearbox gears in support of the low rate initial production of the CH-53K aircraft. Work will be performed in Stratford, Connecticut, and is expected to be completed in October 2020. Fiscal 2018 aircraft procurement (Navy) funds in the amount of $7,103,403 will be obligated at time of award, none of which will expire at the end of the current fiscal year. The Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, Maryland, is the contracting activity. ARMY Yulista Support Services,* Huntsville, Alabama, was awarded a $226,911,155 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for maintenance and modifications of C5ISR flight activity platforms. Bids were solicited via the internet with zero received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of June 19, 2024. U.S. Army Contracting Command, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, is the contracting activity (W56KGU-19-D-0002). Cornforth Consultants Inc.,* Portland, Oregon (W91237-19-D-0016); K S Ware & Associates LLC,* Nashville, Tennessee (W91237-19-D-0017); and Aterra-Schnabel JV,* Ambler, Pennsylvania (W91237-19-D-0015), will compete for each order of the $15,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for national dam safety engineering and design services. Bids were solicited via the internet with 10 received. Work locations and funding will be determined with each order, with an estimated completion date of July 1, 2024. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Huntington, West Virginia, is the contracting activity. AIR FORCE Leidos Inc., Reston, Virginia, has been awarded a $66,752,500 cost-plus-fixed-fee contract for rapid technology development and demonstrations. This contract provides for the development of new/novel concepts for sensor and systems of sensor systems across the multiple domains and spectrums that aid in command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance and battlespace awareness. Work will performed in Reston, Virginia, with base support at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and is expected to be completed by June 12, 2024. This award is a result of a competitive acquisition and two offers were received. Fiscal 2019 research, development, test and evaluation funds in the amount of $546,050 are being obligated at the time of award. Contracting activity is the U.S. Air Force, Air Force Materiel Command, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (FA8650-19-C-1941). Engility Corp., Andover, Massachusetts, has been awarded a $40,000,000 firm-fixed-price/cost reimbursement/cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for services supporting the Space and Missile Systems Center, Advanced Systems and Development Directorate, Ground Systems and Space Operations Division at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. This contract provides engineering, development, integration and sustainment services supporting the current ground system enterprise throughout its evolution, including the transition to and buildout of enterprise ground services. Work will be performed at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico; Schriever AFB, Colorado; Buckley AFB, Colorado; Colorado Springs, Colorado; Space Based Infrared Radar Payload On-Orbit Test Station facility, Azusa, California; the Space Management Battle Lab, Colorado Springs, Colorado; Vandenberg AFB, California, as well as future sites at Naval Research Laboratory, Blossom Point, Maryland, and is expected to be completed by Sept. 20, 2019. This award is the result of a sole source acquisition. Space and Missile Systems Center, Advanced Systems & Development Directorate, Kirtland AFB, New Mexico, is the contracting activity (FA8818-19-D-0004). General Dynamics Information Technology Inc., doing business as General Dynamics Mission Systems, Fairfax, Virginia, have been awarded a $35,683,952, cost-plus-incentive-fee modification (P00015) to previously awarded FA8307-17-F-0004 for next generation GEO overhead persistent infrared (NGG-OPIR). The contract modification provides for additional Medium/LargeSat Common Solutions (MLCS) variants for the NGG-OPIR program, additional MLCS engineering development modules, increased tempest testing and to fund an overrun. Work will be performed at General Dynamics Mission System, Scottsdale, Arizona, and is expected to be completed by March 31, 2022. Fiscal 2019 research and development funds in the amount of $12,726,494.04 are being obligated at the time of award. The Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Cryptologic Systems Division, Contracting Division, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, is the contracting activity. DEFENSE LOGISTICS AGENCY Valley Apparel, LLC,* Knoxville, Tennessee, has been awarded a maximum $10,794,000 firm-fixed-price, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract for Navy working uniform parkas. This was a competitive acquisition with two responses received. This is a one-year base contract with two one-year option periods. Location of performance is Tennessee, with a July 1, 2020 performance completion date. Using military service is Navy. Type of appropriation is fiscal 2019 through 2020 defense working capital funds. The contracting activity is the Defense Logistics Agency, Troop Support, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (SPE1C1-19-D-1172). *Small business https://dod.defense.gov/News/Contracts/Contract-View/Article/1895053/source/GovDelivery/
March 15, 2019 | International, Aerospace
DEBORAH LOYE La jeune pousse française est incubée chez InnoGEX , une structure publique labellisée CERN. Elle dévoilera son produit lors du prochain Salon du Bourget. Ingénieur chez Airbus, Arnaud Violland fait le constat d'une grosse disparité entre la sécurité dans l'aviation commerciale et l'aviation générale. « Cette dernière, qui inclut les hélicoptères ainsi que tous les aéronefs pilotés par un seul pilote, était beaucoup moins bien servie », raconte l'entrepreneur. Fin 2016, il décide de créer une start-up, qui aurait pour mission de pallier cet écart. Deux ans plus tard, Safetyn emploie 10 personnes, dont ses quatre cofondateurs. Réagir au stress La jeune pousse se concentre sur l'aspect psychologique de la gestion des urgences par des pilotes seuls dans leurs cockpits. « Nous musclons cognitivement les pilotes pour qu'ils deviennent de vrais bons gestionnaires de risque », explique le cofondateur et PDG de l'entreprise. Concrètement, Safetyn développe une « box intelligente »qui se place dans le cockpit et propose une assistance au pilotage en situation de danger. Cette dernière prend en compte les paramètres psychologiques du pilote, de sorte à l'assister le plus efficacement. « Nous ne répondons pas tous au stress de la même manière, il est donc important de proposer des solutions personnalisées », explique Arnaud Violland. Le pilote peut en outre être mis en relation avec un assistant au sol, qui connaît lui aussi son profil, et peut l'aider en conséquence. « Cela permet de réduire le temps de résolution du problème », indique l'entrepreneur. Article complet: https://business.lesechos.fr/entrepreneurs/idees-de-business/0600558292284-safetyn-veut-ameliorer-la-securite-de-l-aviation-generale-327787.php