Artificial Intelligence (AI) is among the most structuring technologies expected to disrupt defence systems, particularly information superiority where it is decisive to anticipate and manage conflicts in increasingly digitalised battlefields, with exponential data from heterogeneous sources.
AI4DEF will study, design, prototype, test and demonstrate the benefits of AI on the two functional areas situation awareness/decision-making and planning optimization. To illustrate the transversal and scalable approach of AI4DEF, four use cases covering the Observe, Orient, Decide, Act loop have been chosen. Multiple domains will be implemented: UAV mission and means-of-effect optimisation, enhanced Joint ISR multi-source analysis/fusion, tactical situation awareness and decision making.
The core is the concept of AI4DEF Labstore (cloud architecture in platform as a service mode) for end-users to further federate and enhance AI components, methods and tools to strengthen Europe sovereignty.
AI techniques referring to the EDA taxonomy will be explored, guidelines set to select AI for defence capabilities and prototyped for the use cases. The use cases will support the design of the proposed AI4DEF LabStore, including tools, methods, data, transversal AI key topics for integration in defence systems such as i.a. standards, interoperability, trustworthiness, ethics as addressed in dedicated WPs. It will be based on EU-owned solutions/technologies. An End User Group will be set and integrated in the Agile Approach.
AI4DEF benefits from a well-balanced consortium: large companies, mid-caps, SMEs and academia with key European capabilities and skills: European champions in AI, platform manufacturers, effectors, systems developers covering the whole spectrum of AI related applications. Large companies bring defence systems know-how, capabilities and means to support use cases, key roles are given to SMEs (AI studies, prototyping) and mid-caps on tools integration and demonstration.