The U.S. Army is testing artificial intelligence-aided target recognition as part of its Next Generation Command and Control, or NGC2, prototype, a move aimed at speeding up decision-making and fire missions on the battlefield, Breaking Defense reported Thursday.
“We’re using the aided target recognition capability that we’ve built out to say, ‘That’s a tank.’ We spent the last week training the AI models to recognize what we would call hulks out in the impact area — old vehicles that we shoot at — and we’re training [it to say] ‘That thing, I think that’s the tank,’” Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, commander of the 4th Infantry Division, told reporters Wednesday. “Now it identifies that as a tank, which generates the fire mission. The complexity has continued to grow.”
According to Ellis, the AI performs well on single targets but future tests will focus on identifying multiple threats simultaneously.
Table of Contents
How Does Ivy Sting Test AI-Aided Target Recognition?
The AI system is being tested in Ivy Sting 2, the second in a series of exercises designed to scale NGC2 prototypes from battalion to division-level operations.
Ivy Sting 2 adds six distributed command-and-control nodes, multiple artillery guns and networked operations to simulate complex battlefield conditions.
Ellis expressed excitement with the second increment of Ivy Sting, noting that the 4th Infantry Division is conducting battle rhythm events in a more distributed way.
“The ones I sat in on Monday were way different than the ones I sat in today and we’re continuing to get better every time,” the major general said.
What’s Next for Ivy Sting 3?
The next iteration, Ivy Sting 3, will expand to a full battery and add eight more nodes. It will also address airspace deconfliction challenges.
“The goal in the division is not to just optimize the way we were already organized with new technology. It’s actually use this technology in a fundamentally different way,” Ellis said. “What we’re going to walk away with … is how do we employ this new technology in a way, how can we change our operational approach to embrace the new technology, not necessarily take the new technology and just optimize the way that we’ve always done things?”
Related Articles
U.S. Space Operations Command, or SpOC, has been redesignated as U.S. Space Force Combat Forces Command, aligning the organization’s name with its mission to develop combat-ready space forces for the U.S. and its allies. Lt. Gen. Gregory Gagnon assumed leadership of the newly redesignated command in early November. As commander, Gagnon will oversee over 12,000 guardians and airmen focused on generating and sustaining combat-ready space control, global operations and combat service support forces. The change underscores the Space Force’s growth as a warfighting service dedicated to achieving and maintaining space superiority. What Are the Priorities of USSF Combat Forces Command?
The Department of the Treasury has launched a department-wide audit of contracting activity valued at approximately $9 billion, focusing on potential misuse of the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) Business Development Program and other preference-based federal contracting initiatives. Announced on Thursday, the investigation covers all contracts and task orders issued across the agency and its bureaus, particularly those with preferential status, which may have allowed large companies to exploit “pass-through” arrangements. The scheme allows a small, eligible business to retain fees for minimal participation while subcontracting nearly all the actual work. What Prompted the Treasury Investigation? The audit follows the department’s
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has selected 11 quantum computing companies to advance to the next phase of its Quantum Benchmarking Initiative, a long-term program designed to determine whether any quantum computing technology can reach utility-scale operation by 2033. Quantum computing is rapidly emerging as a decisive frontier in national defense. At the Defense R&D Summit on Jan. 29, leaders from government, industry and research will explore how next-generation quantum technologies can strengthen U.S. security and scientific leadership. Be sure to catch a panel discussion, themed “Securing the Quantum Edge: Advancing U.S. Leadership as a National Security Imperative,” where