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Cyber threats, terrorism, and national security risks continue to evolve at an unrelenting pace. Nation-states and adversaries are launching increasingly sophisticated tasks. Ensuring mission readiness for defense and security operations is a top priority.
The 2021 SolarWinds cyberattack, which compromised multiple U.S. government agencies, serves as a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities inherent in outdated defense infrastructures. As adversaries launch increasingly advanced attacks, new solutions are needed to protect U.S. interests and maintain battlefield superiority. Analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) are now mission-critical, an essential part of creating a unified defense infrastructure.
For government program leaders or contracting offices, the stakes are particularly high. You are tasked with ensuring the success of programs that safeguard national security, often relying on contractor expertise to bridge capability gaps. This eBook will explain how the defense industry is leveraging AI and data analytics and what’s ahead. We’ll also provide specific examples of programs in development and how they work together to improve mission readiness, reduce cyber risks, and enhance operational efficiency.
Sensing’s Crucial Role in Completing the Kill Web
The kill web is a dynamic, interconnected system that enables military assets to detect, identify, and eliminate threats with high precision.
Key are advanced sensors that provide real-time data across diverse platforms. These sensors act as the eyes and ears of modern defense, feeding critical information into a unified infrastructure that empowers rapid, informed decision-making.
Sensors include:
- Radar and sonar sensors: Used for detecting and tracking aerial and underwater threats.
- Infrared sensors: Essential for detecting heat signatures of enemy vehicles, aircraft, or personnel, even in low-visibility conditions.
- Lidar sensors: Used in autonomous vehicles for precise navigation and situational awareness.
- Electro-optical sensors: Combining visible light and infrared sensors for comprehensive threat monitoring.
By integrating these sensors, the kill web creates a seamless flow of information, enabling defense systems to act as a cohesive unit.
A prime example is the U.S. Navy’s Aegis Combat System, which integrates radar and missile defense to detect and neutralize threats in real time. Similarly, sensor fusion in drones leverages AI to merge data from radar, infrared, and cameras, significantly improving targeting accuracy for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This fusion of data, powered by analytics and AI, allows for faster processing and more accurate threat responses in high-stakes operations.
The Maven Smart System is another example, tracking sensor data to aid in identifying and striking military targets. It also provides insights for faster chain-of-command approval and battle damage assessments.
The Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Defense and Security
By integrating contractor-supported AI solutions, defense programs can address modern challenges with precision and agility. Three critical areas where AI is driving transformation are autonomous defense systems, predictive maintenance, and AI-driven decision-making.
AI in Autonomous Defense Systems
AI powers drones and vehicles to execute missions like reconnaissance and surveillance autonomously, minimizing human exposure to danger. For instance, the U.S. Army’s Autonomous Intelligent Maneuver and Mobility (AIMM) program develops vehicles that gather intelligence in hostile environments, improving safety and data accuracy.
This technology enables DoD leaders to greatly extend their operational reach without increasing risk to personnel.
At the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) In Monterey, CA, researchers are automating tracking systems used by laser weapon systems (LWS) on autonomous drones. Leveraging data such as target classifications and pose estimation, AI can identify and track targets, enabling an LWS to assess and neutralize hostile unmanned aircraft systems (UAS).
AI in Predictive Maintenance
By analyzing sensor data, AI can predict maintenance needs before failures occur. This foresight reduces downtime, cuts costs, and ensures mission readiness.
This is especially critical in hostile areas or on the battlefield where an operational failure can turn deadly. Proactive maintenance powered by AI keeps critical assets operational, aligning with the DoD’s focus on reliability and efficiency.
This year, the U.S. Navy deployed its first office AI platform aboard a warship on the USS Fitzgerald, a guided-missile destroyer, to help manage maintenance tasks and reduce unplanned downtime. The AI system continuously monitors some 10,000 sensor readings every second to generate recommendations on maintenance and address issues before they impact mission readiness.
AI-Driven Decision Making
In dynamic battlefield scenarios, AI processes vast datasets including terrain, weather, and enemy positions to deliver real-time insights for commanders. Tools integrating AI into strategy development enhance decision speed and accuracy, enabling leaders to respond more decisively under pressure. In many cases, AI can analyze massive data sets that would be impossible for humans to review manually before making critical decisions.
Stopping Cyberattacks
The 2025 Homeland Threat Assessment from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) warns of escalating cyber threats to critical infrastructure and government operations. This mirrors other reports, which show dramatic upswings in cyber threats from nation-states, foreign actors, and homegrown threats. In fact, there are some 30,000 cyber security incidents annually reported by federal agencies over the past 15 years in every year but one.
AI offers strategic tactics to counter these risks, providing tools to protect national security assets effectively.
Digital transformation has expanded the attack surface. As more systems operate in the cloud or have cloud connectivity, adversaries are targeting networks and systems critical to defense. Traditional defenses are no longer sufficient. AI has become essential to enhance cybersecurity by continuously scanning for anomalies and identifying vulnerabilities.
Four specific strategies are powerful tools to protect networks and assets.
- Behavioral analytics: AI systems that continuously learn from network traffic to detect abnormal behavior, flagging potential cyberattacks in progress.
- Automated threat hunting: Algorithms that autonomously search through data to identify vulnerabilities and block attack paths before they are exploited.
- AI-powered threat detection and response: By integrating with Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) systems, AI improves threat detection times and neutralizes risks faster.
- Real-time countermeasures: AI and machine learning models can detect malware or intrusions and isolate breaches, minimize damage, and maintain operational continuity, effectively shrinking the window of opportunity for attackers.
AI-driven cybersecurity reduces the burden on personnel while enhancing response times, a critical factor for government programs managing high-stakes operations. These tactics mitigate cyber risks and build resilience into defense programs.
Identifying Risks and Threats with Precision
Let’s take a closer look at how analytics and AI are identifying risks and threats.
Enhanced Situational Awareness
AI and analytics provide a comprehensive, real-time view of the security environment, vital for military operations, border control, and public safety.
By processing vast data streams, these technologies enable leaders to monitor dynamic situations with clarity. For example, AI-powered surveillance systems analyze CCTV footage to identify suspicious activities in crowded spaces, offering actionable insights for rapid response. This capability ensures DoD programs maintain operational vigilance, even in challenging settings.
The U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has now operationalized and deployed facial biometric technology, leveraging AI to match identities with known databases to identify potential threat actors.
Predictive Risk Assessment
AI systems excel at analyzing historical and real-time data to forecast potential risks, from natural disasters to geopolitical instability. These predictive models help leaders anticipate threats before they materialize, enabling strategic preparation.
For instance, AI can predict the likelihood of conflict escalation by evaluating historical, environmental, and social data inputs.
Enhanced Threat Detection
AI sharpens threat identification by fusing data sets, such as satellite imagery, radar, intelligence reports, and known adversary behavior, into a cohesive picture. This precision is critical for early warning and response.
Consider AI models that process satellite data to detect military activity or infrastructure build-up in sensitive regions, providing DoD leaders with actionable intelligence. This multisource approach minimizes false positives and maximizes reliability, a cornerstone of effective defense operations.
These capabilities enable DoD leaders to stay ahead of threats, acting as a powerful strategic advantage for mission success.
Leveraging Advanced Analytics
Real-time big data analysis, pattern recognition, predictive modeling, and AI-driven insights are redefining decision-making in the defense sector. With this deep insight, leaders can more effectively optimize resource allocation, enhance strategic planning, and strengthen operational outcomes.
More Efficient Resource Allocation
Advanced analytics transforms raw data into actionable intelligence. By integrating real-time analysis with predictive modeling, it empowers leaders to anticipate challenges and seize opportunities. In defense, this translates to sharper decisions — from troop movements to budget prioritization — that align with DoD’s data-driven priorities.
For example, advanced analytics can streamline the allocation of defense resources. AI systems analyze battlefield conditions to optimize troop and equipment deployment, enhancing responsiveness. This maximizes readiness while minimizing costs.
The Pacific Fleet in Coronado, CA is already using machine learning to parse data and analytics support tools to help commanders make decisions about ship deployment.
Improved Threat and Risk Modeling
Advanced analytics enables detailed modeling of complex security scenarios, such as terrorist attacks or military confrontations. AI can autonomously simulate geopolitical tensions and evaluate a wide range of offensive or defensive strategies, offering insights into potential outcomes.
Project AMMO, for example, uses machine learning to improve underwater threat detection.
Simulation and War Gaming
AI-driven simulations provide a safe environment to test military tactics. Tools like AI-powered war gaming evaluate strategies using past conflict data, identifying strengths and weaknesses, and adversary tactics.
By leveraging advanced analytics, DoD leaders gain a decisive advantage, driving efficiency and effectiveness across programs. These tools empower data-centric strategies to power operational success.
Streamlining Operations with AI-Driven Efficiency
Operational efficiency is a critical factor in maintaining mission readiness and optimizing limited resources. AI powers high-performance solutions to reduce human error and accelerate decision-making. When integrated into defense programs, AI-driven tools allow leaders to focus on strategic priorities rather than administrative burdens.
Automation of Routine Tasks
AI excels at handling repetitive, data-intensive tasks such as logistics tracking, supply chain management, and maintenance scheduling. For instance, AI systems can monitor equipment health to help make battlefield decisions about capabilities.
Accelerated Decision-Making
In high-stakes environments, speed can be the difference between operational success and failure. AI tools process and analyze data faster than traditional methods, providing actionable insights in seconds that would take even the most seasoned veterans significantly longer.
During disaster response missions, for example, AI can assess damage reports, weather data, and troop availability to recommend rapid deployment strategies to respond to emerging situations. The U.S. Army’s 18th Airborne Corps repurposed its battlefield AI tools to assist in recent hurricane relief, tracking real-time road closures, cellular outages, and other crucial data points for more efficient deployment. This empowers program leaders to respond decisively, enhancing mission outcomes.
Resource Optimization
Beyond more efficient resource allocation, AI-driven systems can also identify inefficiencies and suggest improvements across operations. By analyzing historical spending and performance data, these tools can recommend budget reallocations or highlight underutilized assets, ensuring every dollar and resource is maximized. This is particularly valuable for leaders overseeing large-scale programs with complex funding structures.
The adoption of AI-driven efficiency boosts productivity and strengthens accountability.
Building Resilience Through Data-Driven Defense
National security and defense require resiliency. AI enables proactive threat mitigation, rapid recovery from disruptions, and long-term strategic stability, ensuring the DoD remains prepared for any contingency.
When disruptions occur, whether from natural disasters or enemy actions, AI can accelerate recovery by prioritizing response efforts, producing continuous improvements in operations that enhance both immediate and future response.
Analytics and AI also foster resilience by informing long-range planning. By analyzing trends in climate data, geopolitical shifts, and technological advancements, AI helps leaders anticipate future challenges, such as resource scarcity or evolving adversary capabilities, to develop dynamic strategies. Programs like the Artificial Intelligence Security Center leverage these insights to shape resilient policies and develop security frameworks.
Embracing AI and Analytics in the Defense Sector
Analytics and AI improve defense capabilities in multiple ways. From enhancing threat detection, decision-making, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency, artificial intelligence and data analytics are transforming government defensive capabilities.
Government program leaders must continue to embrace AI and analytics to strengthen national defense infrastructures and maintain competitive advantage.