The United States has long used large drones, but warfare continues to evolve and adversaries are increasingly using smaller drones. To combat this growing threat, the Army is looking to artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies for assistance. Software company Camgian was recently awarded a large contract worth $55 million to enhance the Army's existing integrated air and missile defense systems with advanced kill chain automation technology.
The goal is to increase sensor survivability while streamlining the kill chain to provide faster, more reliable decision-making. Under the multi-year agreement, Camgian will work closely with the Army to integrate its Reactor platform - an artificial intelligence system trained through reinforcement learning - into the IAMD architecture.
IAMD is a comprehensive system designed to protect the United States and its allies from a variety of air threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and unmanned aerial vehicle systems. Camgian's "reactor" technology is designed to automatically provide the best engagement options to defeat drone swarms and aerial attacks. It will quickly provide movement suggestions, assigning the right weapon to the right target at the right time.
This will provide a tailored course of action for each threat situation, thereby reducing the cognitive load on the warfighter. The platform is compatible with multi-modal sensors such as passive RF, acoustic, radar, electro-optical/infrared and laser rangefinders. It also integrates with a range of kinetic and non-kinetic effector systems.
Camgian CEO and founder Gary Butler said the key to success on today's battlefield is "closing the kill chain faster than the adversary." This contract allows the company to work closely with the Army's IAMD community to provide new capabilities that enable warfighters to operate at "machine speed."
In the broader counter-drone arena, the U.S. Department of Defense held its most challenging demonstration to date. The event, known as "Demonstration 5," took place in June and pitted the vendor's system against a swarm of up to 50 drones in an intense live test of sensors, shooters and artificial intelligence technology.
Arguably, the growing focus on drones in recent years has highlighted that counter-drone operations have become a major priority for the United States in maintaining military superiority.