The Air Force Pursues Artificial Intelligence Capabilities for Various Uses

Department of Defense (DoD) technology leaders are looking for novel approaches and technologies to support the DoD mission, improve enterprise operations and reduce costs and burdens on personnel. With these goals in mind, the Air Force is looking to develop, pilot and deploy several emerging technologies and approaches – especially Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) – to increase effectiveness and efficiencies across both mission and enterprise systems.

In watching Air Force IT-related actions and policy development, and looking at the Air Force’s FY 2024 budget request – especially their Research, Development, Test & Evaluation (RDT&E) budget – here are just a few of the AI-related observations and efforts underway:

• Expanding, Integrated AI and Data Management Mindset: The Air Force has expanded its Chief Data Officer role to include AI, signifying an integrated approach to advancing AF’s AI readiness. Eileen Vidrine, who had previously served as AF CDO, returned in January 2023 after serving as a senior data adviser to the Federal Chief Information Officer. Vidrine’s role is now Chief Data and Artificial Intelligence Officer (CDAIO). The Air Force’s Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) construct, under the DOD’s JADC2 concept, includes increasing the operationalization of data, expanding digital fluency among AF personnel and providing digital tools and analytics capabilities to aid decision making.
• Data-driven, AI-enabled CIO Strategy: The Air Force’s CIO Public Strategy for FY 2023 – FY 2028 notes plans to operationalize data and AI/ML capabilities for greater effectiveness. Objectives include entrenching AI/ML training data and algorithmic models across all AF application and platforms; establishing a federated data ecosystem overlaid and integrated with AF weapon systems and theater operations to ensure AF data is useable for AI/ML applications; and leveraging data and AI/ML to solve challenges to AF business enterprise efficiency, mission operations integration and greater warfighting capacity.
• Battlespace Decision Support: The Air Force’s efforts to craft its Advanced Battle Management System (ABMS) to gain all-domain C2 capabilities includes leveraging AI/ML. The Air Force plans to increasingly field early operational capabilities throughout FY 2023 and FY 2024, including AI algorithms aimed at increasing command decision speed. ABMS receives $501M in RDT&E funding in AF FY 2024 budget request and is the largest Air Force IA-related program, consisting of multiple relevant efforts.
• Supporting Fundamental AI Research: The Air Force’s Defense Research Sciences program seeks to expand fundamental knowledge and enable revolutionary advances and supporting technologies critical to the Air Force, including AI/ML and autonomous decision making. The $401M program in FY 2024 includes the Information and Complex Networks project’s work in data and information fusion; advanced computing; and AI and complex networks, as well as the Decision Making project’s emphasis in AI and human-machine teaming research.
• Space Force Enhanced Operations: The Space Situation Awareness Operations (SSAO) program, one of the largest AF R&D programs with AI/ML elements, supports the Space Force’s Space Domain Awareness (SDA) core space surveillance, monitoring and C2 competency. The $265M for the SSAO program in FY 2024 in part supports the Space Data Fusion project, which develops and upgrades SDA data exploitation capabilities, including advanced data analytics and AI/ML capabilities for rapid indication, warning and monitoring solutions.

As the Air Force’s AI strategies, policies and research efforts mature and produce growing benefits, expect the number, size and scope these efforts to multiply – both in further R&D projects and in fielded solutions. Many get their start at the Air Force Research Laboratory, (also check out their AFRL.com site), but various commands across the force are exploring AI.

To develop and harness these technologies, the Air Force will continue to look to innovative companies – especially innovative small businesses – with which to partner to bring new capabilities to bear on the military service’s multifaceted operations.

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For more information on Air Force and other federal AI policy, acquisition and technology initiatives impacting contractor opportunities, see Deltek’s report, Federal Artificial Intelligence Landscape, 2024.