Tag: Artificial Intelligence

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AI and the US Navy: Transforming Naval Warfare

In our ongoing exploration of the future of American Naval power, we’ve already covered crucial topics that lay the groundwork for understanding AI’s role in naval warfare. In Episode 1: AI in Naval Warfare – From Logistics to Combat Strategy: , we examined the necessity of modernizing the Navy’s fleet and adapting shipbuilding strategies to meet contemporary challenges. Following that, Episode 2: Uncrewed Systems: How Drones and Autonomous Vehicles are Changing Naval Tactics delved into the realm of emerging technologies reshaping naval warfare, including groundbreaking initiatives like the Pentagon’s “Replicator.” These discussions set the stage for understanding how AI fits into the broader context of naval innovation and modernization.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the landscape of naval warfare and technology. The US Navy, recognizing the immense potential of AI, is integrating it across various domains, enhancing operational efficiency, decision-making processes, and multi-domain operations. This blog post delves into the transformative power of AI in the US Navy, highlighting key applications, opportunities, challenges, and insights from a former Navy captain.

AI Applications in the US Navy

The integration of AI in the US Navy is multifaceted, impacting numerous areas:

  • Autonomous Vehicles: AI-powered unmanned surface and underwater vehicles are enhancing surveillance, reconnaissance, and mine countermeasure operations.
  • Intelligent Decision Aids: AI systems assist naval officers in making faster and more informed decisions by analyzing vast amounts of data and providing actionable insights.
  • Unmanned Systems: Drones and other unmanned systems are increasingly used for tasks that are dangerous, repetitive, or require real-time data analysis.

Opportunities and Challenges

The adoption of AI presents both opportunities and challenges for the Navy:

  • Opportunities:
    • Enhancing operational efficiency and readiness.
    • Fostering multi-domain integration and collaboration.
    • Driving innovation in naval technology and warfare strategies.
    • Expanding into new domains like underwater, space, and cyberspace.
  • Challenges:
    • Ensuring data quality and security.
    • Addressing ethical and legal concerns.
    • Overcoming technical and organizational barriers.
    • Competing with AI advancements from foreign rivals, particularly China and Russia.

Insights from a Former Navy Captain

In a recent interview, Captain Sam Tangredi, a former US Navy officer, shared his thoughts on the broad implications of AI for naval operations. Captain Tangredi highlighted the following points:

  • Strategic Advantage: AI can provide a significant strategic advantage by improving situational awareness and enabling faster decision-making in critical situations.
  • Operational Efficiency: AI reduces the burden on human operators by automating routine tasks, allowing naval personnel to focus on more complex and strategic responsibilities.
  • Ethical Considerations: The importance of adhering to ethical principles in AI development and deployment was emphasized, ensuring that AI systems are reliable, safe, and governed appropriately.

Ensuring Responsible AI Adoption

As the Navy embraces AI, it is crucial to ensure responsible adoption:

  • Ethical AI: The Department of Defense⁸’s AI Ethical Principles emphasize being responsible, equitable, traceable, reliable, and governable.
  • Safety and Governance: Robust measures are in place to ensure AI systems are safe and their deployment is governed by strict regulations.

Conclusion

AI is set to transform naval warfare and technology, providing the US Navy with enhanced capabilities and strategic advantages. However, it is essential to address the associated challenges and ensure the responsible use of AI. By staying informed and engaged with developments in AI, we can support the Navy’s mission to maintain maritime superiority and safeguard national security.

For more insights, tune in to our latest podcast episode where we delve deeper into AI’s impact on the US Navy, featuring an exclusive interview with Captain Sam Tangredi.

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Uncrewed Systems: How Drones and Autonomous Vehicles are Changing Naval Tactics

The Navy is introducing GARCS to San Diego Bay. (US Navy )

Introduction

 

Welcome back to our series exploring the cutting-edge technologies reshaping naval warfare. In our first post, we delved into the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in enhancing naval operations. Today, we shift our focus to uncrewed systems—drones and autonomous vehicles—that are revolutionizing naval tactics through increased capabilities and strategic flexibility.

If you missed our discussion on how AI is transforming naval warfare, you can catch up here. 

Recent Developments

The U.S. Navy’s commitment to integrating advanced technologies into its operations is more apparent than ever. Recently, the Navy stationed a squadron of small, experimental sea drones, known as Global Autonomous Reconnaissance Crafts (GARCs), in San Diego Bay. These uncrewed surface vessels, measuring 16 feet in length and capable of speeds up to 40 mph, represent the forefront of naval innovation. Designed for maritime security and potentially weaponized engagements, these drones are a key part of the Navy’s strategy to enhance its operational capabilities with autonomous technology. Continue reading “Uncrewed Systems: How Drones and Autonomous Vehicles are Changing Naval Tactics”

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AI in Naval Warfare – From Logistics to Combat Strategy

Introduction from Americans for a Stronger Navy:

Bill Cullifer

Hello, Bill Cullifer here with Americans for a Stronger Navy. Welcome to our inaugural episode of this enlightening series where we delve into transformative technologies reshaping naval operations. Throughout this series, we will explore various cutting-edge topics, including AI, unmanned systems, Directed Energy Weapons, cyber warfare, and more. Today, we begin with the crucial role of Artificial Intelligence in naval warfare.

Series Outline:

  1. AI in Naval Warfare – This episode.
  2. Uncrewed Systems – How drones and autonomous vehicles are changing naval tactics.
  3. Directed Energy Weapons – The future of combat with lasers and high-energy systems.
  4. Cyber and Electronic Warfare – Securing supremacy in digital battlefields.
  5. Future Naval Strategies – Integrating new tech into traditional naval doctrines.

Overview: The Strategic Importance of AI in Military Operations AI’s role in military operations extends from enhancing logistical support to refining combat strategies. Its integration into naval operations promises significant advancements in operational efficiency and tactical decision-making.

Interview Segment: Insights from Admiral James Stavridis

We feature key insights from Admiral Stavridis during his interview with Fareed Zakaria on GPS. His expertise illuminates AI’s potential in transforming naval capabilities.

  • Logistics and Maintenance: AI’s predictive capabilities ensure higher readiness and efficiency.
  • Strategic Decision-Making: AI’s ability to analyze historical data aids in crucial decision-making processes.
  • Advanced Threat Response: The evolving role of AI in managing drone swarms and other asymmetric threats.

Why It Matters: Understanding the integration of AI into naval operations is crucial for anticipating how future conflicts will be managed and fought. AI not only enhances current capabilities but also opens new avenues in warfare strategy.

Implications for the Navy: Admiral Stavridis’ insights lead into a broader discussion on:

  • The necessity for ongoing training and adaptation among naval personnel to leverage AI effectively.
  • The potential shifts in naval strategy as AI technologies mature, particularly in terms of autonomous decision-making and real-time strategy adjustments.
  • Ethical and security considerations as AI becomes a pivotal element in defense.

Interview: CNN ZAKARIA and ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER

  • CNN ZAKARIA: We humans have a lot to worry about these days, climate change and other pandemic, even the threat of World War Three. But the unregulated development of artificial intelligence might be as potent a threat as any, according to my next guest. He was NATO’s allied commander Eirope. And he’s now vice chair of global affairs at the Carlisle Group. His fascinating new book “2054 Novel,” which he co-wrote with Elliot Ackerman, very talented, is centered on the existential treat AI poses for the future of the world. Jim, pleasure to have you on. Fascinating how you’re writing these series of books. And this one is really about the A.I. race in military affairs. So first, I want to ask you, explain to us the power of A.I.
  • CNN ZAKARIA: So, you’re a — you’re a naval commander, what would A.I. allow you to do as a naval commander that you weren’t able to do when you were actually commanding ships?
  • ADM. JAMES STAVRIDIS (RET.), FORMER NATO SUPREME ALLIED COMMANDER: Let me give you three very practical things. Number one — and it doesn’t sound sexy, but it’s logistics and maintenance. Artificial Intelligence has a capability to predict when a particular set of maintenance functions are needed, make sure that the spare parts are in train, all of that done in a way that is much more efficient, much more capable.
  • ZAKARIA: But that’s huge because it keeps the ships in permanent readiness.
  • STAVRIDIS: Absolutely. We always say in the military, the amateurs are the ones talking about strategy. The professionals are focused on logistics. That’s what wins wars.
  • But number two, artificial intelligence will allow a commander — say I was the captain of a destroyer, which I was. If I had an A.I. advising me, plugged into my decision process, that A.I. will have access to every naval battle ever fought. It would be capable of scanning the horizon of history and whispering into the commander, you really ought to think about this.
  • And then third and finally, and we’re seeing the edges of this in Ukraine, drone, swarms, bringing them together in very lethal ways. We currently can’t quite do that. Artificial intelligence will make swarming drones the greatest threat by mid-century.
  • ZAKARIA: You talk a lot about the A.I. race and it’s really U.S. versus China.
  • STAVRIDIS: Yes.
  • ZAKARIA: Who’s ahead?
  • STAVRIDIS: U.S. marginally ahead. Our mutual friend, Eric Schmidt, did a marvelous set of research on this a couple of years ago, and he would have said then, we’re about a year ahead of China.
  • My sense from my sources, China is closing that gap. This is the foot race that will determine geopolitical superiority by mid-century.
  • ZAKARIA: Are we building the right kind of military for that kind of world?
  • STAVRIDIS: Absolutely. And let me add another example in terms of drones versus naval. Look what’s happening in the Black Sea. The Russian Black Sea fleet a third of it is on the bottom of the Black Sea, drinking seawater as we would say in the business.
  • Why? Not because Ukraine has a Navy, they don’t. It’s because the Ukrainians have used both air and surface drones. So, to your question
  • ZAKARIA: Drones are amazing. The minister showed them to me. They looked like toy boats —
  • STAVRIDIS: Yes.
  • ZAKARIA: — and they are really highly lethal drones that can sink these hundred — hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of warships.
  • STAVRIDIS: Correct. And so, the question then becomes, are the carriers still viable? I think they are for the moment, for the tenure future, 15-year future. Boy, you get much beyond that. And the capacity of massive swarms of drones accompanied by cruise missiles, ballistic missiles, all linked together by artificial intelligence, it will make those crown jewels of the fleet, our aircraft carriers vulnerable.
  • ZAKARIA: So, you’ve — you’ve held very, very high military office. And you know that there are some people who worry that Donald Trump, where he to be elected again, would politicize the military. Do you worry about that?
  • STAVRIDIS: I do. And I think that the greatest aspect of our national security isn’t a political military. And we would edge in to politics into that force at great peril to the republic. At the moment, all of my contacts in the active-duty military reassure me that the military continues to regard itself as apolitical, followers of the constitution. Let’s hope it stays that way.
  • ZAKARIA: And when you look at NATO, you were the former supreme allied commander, great, great title, by the way, there are people in Europe who worry a lot about Trump and NATO. And what I’ve heard people say is it’s — he doesn’t have to pull out of NATO. He just has to say, I’m not going to defend Latvia, Lithuania —
  • STAVRIDIS: Estonia.
  • ZAKARIA: Right. Because it’s a sort of — in some ways the whole — NATO is basically — it’s a psychological game. It’s the thread is psychological that the U.S. will get involved. That’s what Putin has to be calculating. And if the president says something like that — the NATO — the building can continue, the meetings can continue, but the heart of it is lost.
  • STAVRIDIS: We always say deterrence is the combination of capability and credibility.
  • NATO is incredibly capable. The defense budget of the United States and the Europeans together is well over 10 times that of Russia. The population is well over five times the size of Russia.
  • So, the capability is not the problem. You’ve put your finger on it, it’s the credibility. And yes, I would be very concerned about a Trump presidency that did not actively support and, indeed, lead within NATO. That’s a real concern.
  • ZAKARIA: From the former supreme allied commander of NATO.
  • STAVRIDIS: My pleasure, Fareed.
  • ZAKARIA: Thank you, sir.
  • STAVRIDIS: Thank you.

Further Viewing

Carrie Council interview with Elliot Ackerman and Admiral Stavridis:

Outro

Thank you for joining us for the first episode of our series. Don’t forget to subscribe to our podcast on your favorite platform to ensure you don’t miss any of our discussions on the future of naval warfare. Together, we aim to keep you informed and engaged with the latest in naval defense technology.

 

 

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Charting the Course: Navigating the Future of American Naval Power – ‘AI on the High Seas: Shaping the Future of Naval Warfare and Seapower’

Welcome to ‘Charting the Course: Navigating the Future of American Naval Power’.

Today, we’re thrilled to have Dr. Sam Tangredi, the esteemed Leidos Chair of Future Warfare Studies and Director of the Institute for Future Warfare Studies at the U.S. Naval War College. 

My co-host Dale and I have previously laid the groundwork by introducing key themes and objectives of our series, including an in-depth conversation with Dr. Steven Wills, a respected naval historian and former U.S. Naval officer, in our episode ‘Developing and Implementing Effective U.S. Navy Strategies’.

Dr. Tangredi, a former U.S. Navy captain and strategist, brings a wealth of experience and insight. 

He holds a Ph.D. in international relations from the University of Southern California and is an award-winning author, having penned significant works such as “AI at War: How Big Data, Artificial Intelligence, and Machine Learning Are Changing Naval Warfare”, and “Anti-Access Warfare: Countering A2/AD Strategies”. 

His contributions to naval literature have earned him the U.S. Naval Institute’s Arleigh Burke Prize and the U.S. Navy League’s Alfred Thayer Mahan Award.

In this session, Dr. Tangredi will illuminate the profound impact and implications of emerging technologies on the future of naval warfare and seapower. 

He will delve into the roles of artificial intelligence, big data, and machine learning, guiding us through the complex landscape of modern naval strategies and challenges.

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Enhancing Navy Support: Introducing Amelia, the US Navy’s Conversational AI Tech-Support Tool

General Dynamics Information Technology is introducing a conversational artificial intelligence known as Amelia, rendered here, as part of the U.S. Navy Enterprise Service Desk endeavor. (Photo provided/GDIT)
WASHINGTON

Introduction:

In the digital age, where technology plays a crucial role in every aspect of our lives, the United States Navy is taking a significant step forward to enhance its support system. Meet Amelia, the conversational artificial intelligence (AI) tech-support tool that is set to revolutionize how sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel receive assistance. With Amelia’s capabilities to troubleshoot and resolve common tech-support questions, the Navy is embracing innovation to streamline its operations and provide efficient and reliable support to over 1 million users. This exciting development aligns perfectly with the mission of Americans for a Stronger Navy, as it represents a significant advancement in modernizing and consolidating IT help desks to ensure a stronger and more resilient naval force.

Summary:

The U.S. Navy’s introduction of Amelia, a conversational AI tech-support tool, marks a significant milestone in the ongoing efforts to enhance support for sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel. Amelia’s implementation is part of the Navy Enterprise Service Desk (NESD) project, aimed at consolidating over 90 IT help desks into a centralized and efficient system. With Amelia’s ability to provide around-the-clock responses, based on comprehensive training and insider knowledge, users can expect quicker and more accurate resolutions to their tech-related queries. This innovative solution ensures improved support services for the Navy community and sets the stage for future applications within classified environments.

Key Takeaways:

  • Amelia, the conversational AI tech-support tool, will be deployed by the U.S. Navy to address common tech-related questions from sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel.
  • The Navy Enterprise Service Desk (NESD) initiative aims to consolidate more than 90 IT help desks into one centralized system, ensuring efficiency and modernization.
  • Users with a common access card and verification through the Global Federated User Directory can access Amelia via phone or text.
  • Amelia is trained to provide responses based on extensive knowledge and can sense frustration in user queries, improving the overall support experience.
  • If Amelia cannot answer a question, it can seamlessly transfer the matter to a live agent, ensuring a human-to-human interaction when needed.

Conclusion:

The introduction of Amelia, the U.S. Navy’s conversational AI tech-support tool, represents a significant leap forward in the Navy’s commitment to providing exceptional support services to sailors, Marines, and civilian personnel. This innovative solution not only streamlines the process of troubleshooting and resolving tech-related questions but also demonstrates the Navy’s dedication to embracing cutting-edge technology for the benefit of its community. As Americans for a Stronger Navy, we are proud to be part of a mission that encourages modernization, efficiency, and resilience within the naval force. By supporting the implementation of advanced solutions like Amelia, we can ensure that our Navy remains at the forefront of innovation, empowering sailors and Marines with the best possible resources to fulfill their duties and safeguard our nation.