In the civilian world, people have grown accustomed to the types of benefits artificial intelligence (AI) can bring to everyday life. Asking Siri or Alexa to pull up a website or dim the lights, or using an app on your phone to let you know about a faster route to work — all three examples show the AI benefits we use on a near-daily basis.
Now imagine having access to similar AI, machine learning and predicative analytics capabilities on the battlefield. Today, we have the ability to provide warfighters with access to a number of cloud-enabled applications that will significantly enhance decision making abilities, reduce stress levels and provide life-saving insights across the battlespace.
Consider an application safely directing a convoy away from a dangerous hot zone; a warfighter equipped with a biometric device to provide a medic with a clear picture of an individual’s health status; intelligence data being sourced in real-time to identify the license plate of a terrorist; or a 3D heat map of a building under attack.
The potential benefits of AI and machine learning applications for military forces are nearly endless, but to make Internet of Battlefield Things (IoBT) a reality, it’s critical for U.S. military forces to have access to both a modernized end-to-end satellite communications network and line of sight technologies. This is what will provide warfighters the ubiquitous, secure, resilient and high-speed connectivity required to power these applications.
Viasat is partnering with leading cloud-computing technology companies to develop a seamless architecture to give warfighters advanced cloud-based, data-driven insights and operational capabilities, allowing them to make the most informed decisions possible across any tactical battlefield location — whether they are in the air, on land or at sea.
With near-peer adversaries moving quickly to develop similar battlefield-ready AI and machine learning platforms, it’s critical for the commercial sector to work with U.S. and international coalition forces to bring game-changing operational capabilities to warfighters as soon as possible.
