US Space Force Has Plans To Use Artificial Intelligence

Uploaded on 2024-01-12 in TECHNOLOGY-Key Areas-Artificial Intelligence, GOVERNMENT-Defence, FREE TO VIEW

The US military will adopt Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology to aid in tracking targets, data analysis and managing complex missions, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said at a recent National Defense Forum. Speaking on a panel session, Kendall said AI is an essential technology which is required to increase US national defence capabilities.

To echo this assessment, US Space Force Chief Technology and Innovation Officer Lisa Costa has recently called AI a “game-changer”.

Another senior official at US Space Force earlier in 2023 had said that their organisation is was planning on using Artificial Intelligence (AI) to expand space domain awareness, maintain space-based platforms, and provide command-and-control capabilities to the US military. At another event last year said Lt. Gen. John Shaw, recently retired deputy commander of the US Space Command, commented "We need to use every possible form of data available to us, whether that's supplied by our government systems or by our commercial partners or allied partners."

The US, China, and other countries are becoming concerned about the quality and immense volumes of the electronically held data which are unorganised. AI technology like machine learning and natural language processing could be successfully deployed to deal with that problem.

In particular, AI can be used to help extract and organise large volumes of data from government and commercial organisations as part of an effort to help understand potential threats and challenges in space.

The amount of data collected from satellites and commercial space projects has continued to grow exponentially in recent years as public and private entities increasingly invest in space-based initiatives, from NASA's Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the moon next year, to SpaceX, an American company with the goal of colonising Mars. As organisations continue to launch platforms and space-based systems, AI is expected to play a pivotal role in maintaining their operations and military space operations will likely be affected by increased space activity, like the growing presence of commercial companies and the proliferation of satellite networks.

US government officials have previously said that threats form space have increased and that ignoring this could allow foreign adversaries to gain an advantage in space. “We will have adversaries and competitors that will be doing the same. All the more reason why we need to embrace it, understand it and use it as effectively and as quickly as we can to ensure that we stay ahead.” General Shaw said.

Reuters: DefenseOne: DefenseOne: Bloomberg: Space News: AirandSpaceForces: DefenseScoop:

Image: Space X

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