1,000 hits per hour: US Army’s AI system to get smarter, speedier, deadlier

The Maven Smart System (MSS) gives the troops an option to quickly assess a battlespace, gather vast amounts of data, analyze it with the help of AI and machine learning to identify targets and strike.

In the absence of MSS, the firing process has to be done manually – which leaves room for multiple errors— right from the point of data collection, during processing, seeking permission, finding the right munitions, and granting permission for strike.

During Scarlet Dragon exercise series, the troops were able to match the performance of the time-critical targeting cell in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

They now want to push the boundaries of time and enable Maven to make 1,000 high-quality decisions–– like those of choosing and dismissing targets—on the battlefield in one hour, according to a recent report by Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET).

Project Maven and its applications

According to the report by CSET, Maven enabled the U.S. Army’s 18th Airborne Corps to achieve the same output as the ones achieved during Operation Iraqi Freedom with just 20 human operatives.

In comparison, the targeting of artillery during the earlier event was done with the help of close to 2,000 members.

This was possible as Maven is an AI-based decision-support system, it has been refined during the Scarlet Dragon exercise, and furthermore it continues to evolve.

According to the report, the exercise brought together warfighters—as well as developers, technicians, testers, and evaluators—to fine-tune the whole process of finding targets, analyzing the data, and the final strike.

First carried out through simulations, the process ends with actual rounds being fired on practice targets.

Maven has some other features which make it highly desirable – the first being that it can easily integrate data from other sources which are not part of its original software design.

Further, it can also customize the data and restrict access to the same for individuals belonging to different classes. Therefore, it can take care of the ranks in the forces and operate as a single-point of command.

These two features greatly enhance the flexibility and interoperability of Maven.

Scarlet Dragon is a series of exercises which are aimed at revolutionizing military operations through adaptive data centric warfare and AI integration.

Origins of the project

Maven had started in 2017 with the goal of applying existing commercial computer vision tech to identify objects seen in footage. Over time it underwent a transition and become a formal ‘program of record’ by the Pentagon.

Earlier, Palantir had been awarded a $480 million contract to begin building the prototype of the Army’s MSS project.

A Defense News report quotes a high-ranking official from the 18^th Airborne Corps saying that today the whole target recognition and firing can take place within minute with the help of Maven.

Apart from identifying and nullifying threats, MSS can also reshape warfare by helping the logistics and planning process. Right from identifying battlefield needs, to analyzing the best possible course of action to fulfill those, MSS can play a crucial role in the days ahead.

The information gained by the US Army and Department of Defense during the development phase and testing of Maven will also come in handy in building technologies of the future that can help the forces.