Artificial Intelligence Efforts at the Department of the Navy

Recently, I highlighted several Air Force efforts to develop and leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) to gain operational benefits in multiple areas. Today I will turn our attention to the Department of the Navy, including the U.S. Marine Corps, and their efforts to develop and integrate AI and ML capabilities to increase effectiveness and efficiencies as they pursue integrated joint operations and work to build the future force.

Here are some of the AI-related efforts underway at the Department of the Navy:

• Empowering Multi-Domain Operations: Project Overmatch, the Navy’s Multi-Domain Operations effort to network sensors, systems and shooters into the JADC2 Joint All Domain Command and Control construct, is integrating AI and ML capabilities.
• Problem Solving and Decision Support: The SCOUT Experimentation program at the Office of Naval Research (ONR) looks to AI and ML capacities to dissect operational problems, improve warfighters’ capabilities and expedite decision making. Applications include target recognition, natural language processing and sensor data fusion.
• Training Enablement: The Navy is using cloud-based training environments to emulate CANES-enabled ships to prepare sailors for the ships on which they will serve, integrating software from Project Overmatch tactical battlespace network modernization efforts and Artificial Intelligence capabilities. This prepares them to maximize the technology once on-site.
• Building the Future Force: The Marines are working to upgrade and to digitized personnel systems with AI tools and decision aids to help them build the future force, using AI to recruit the best talent, assigns recruits to specialties and aid in the promotion process.
• AI for Unmanned Systems: The Navy’s 5th Fleet in Central Command has established Task Force 59, a team focused on integrating AI with new unmanned systems across domains, built on a strategy of manned and unmanned systems working together. One of the integration challenges is building trust between operators and machines.

Taking a Comprehensive Approach to AI

Focusing on unmanned systems and platforms for a moment, the DON’s 2021 Unmanned Campaign Framework providing guidance to build and integrate unmanned naval systems emphasizes the need to invest in artificial intelligence, among other technologies, to support successful unmanned systems. However, the program is not without its growing pains. In an April 2022 program review, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) advised the Navy to take a portfolio approach to its acquisition of a variety of AI-empowered unmanned ships over the next five years to bring more efficiency and balance to the program.

In a media interview following its release, the GAO lead on the report underscored the positive (and necessary) effects of taking a portfolio approach to building this growing fleet of uncrewed systems would have on building the underlying digital infrastructure and AI-empowered capabilities. The success of the program is undergirded by the effectiveness of the digital infrastructure and embedded AI. This conclusion drives home the fact that to be most effective AI capabilities must be created and deployed within a larger strategic framework and operational context, i.e. avoid the silos of the past. Firms offering AI expertise and solutions must take this into consideration when approaching work with the Navy and other federal entities.

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For more information on Navy and other Department of Defense and Intelligence Community IT initiatives and forecasts for contractor addressable spending, see Deltek’s report, Federal Defense and Intelligence IT Market, 2022-2024.