The Royal Navy, the British navy, has used artificial intelligence at sea for the first time. It was during the “Formidable Shield” exercise, currently taking place off the coast of Scotland, that AI was exploited by the maritime component of the UK army. Two applications were tested to combat supersonic missile threats.

“Formidable Shield”: a biennial exercise against the most talked about threats

“Formidable Shield is an exercise designed to test the weapons systems of ten NATO navies and their interoperability against the latest and most advanced threats. Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, the United States and the United Kingdom participate in the initiative, which takes place every two years for three weeks.

As part of the exercise, a British operational experiment was conducted on HMS Dragon, a Type 45 destroyer, and HMS Lancaster, a Type 23 frigate. Two AI applications called Startle and Sycoiea were tested to combat a potential supersonic missile threat. Alister Jack, the Secretary of State for Scotland, said around the experimentation:

“It is vital that our brave and skilled armed forces stay in the game for the security of the UK and our allies. The Royal Navy’s use of AI for the first time at sea is an important development to ensure we are properly prepared to deal with the threats we may face. I’m proud to see two Royal Navy ships of Scottish build at the heart of this exercise off the Hebrides.”

Two artificial intelligence applications to neutralise missiles

It is through the Above Water Systems program led by scientists at the Defense Science and Technology Laboratory (DSTL) that AI is being harnessed to :

• Improve early detection of a deadly threat
• Accelerate the time taken to implement the process
• Provide a rapid risk assessment to Royal Navy commanders to select the optimal weapon or measure to combat a potential dangerous target.

DSTL worked with the Roke company to develop Startle, with CGI for the Sycoiea application, and with BAE Systems to ensure that these AI-based tools could work with existing combat management and radar systems. Alasdair Gilchrist, DSTL’s Above Water Systems programme manager, spoke of his organisation’s involvement in designing AI systems suitable for the Royal Navy:

“DSTL has invested heavily in the systems that are currently installed, but it is imperative that we continue to invest to ensure that the Royal Navy remains relevant, both now and in the long term. Being able to bring AI to ships is a massive achievement, and while we can prove that AI works in the labs, being able to convince UK Navy personnel is something brilliant.”

Startle was thought to help the military navy with video surveillance related tasks. The tool provides live recommendations and alerts. Sycoiea leverages Startle ‘s information to assess threats and recommend measures that the command can deploy to best respond to threats.

The UK Defence Command has indicated that it wants to invest even more in AI and increase the automation of the systems it uses, in order to adapt to future threats.

Translated from Royaume-Uni : la Royal Navy exploite l’intelligence artificielle pour la première fois en mer