Speed and accuracy have always been vital for warfighter survivability. In a 2016 paper, the US Army Maneuver Center of Excellence used basic math to highlight the stakes: One soldier running at 6.7 meters per second under enemy fire has a 37% greater chance of surviving than one running half as fast. It’s no wonder that Sun Tzu wrote in The Art of War, “Speed is the essence of war.” On the modern battlefield, asymmetric non-state actors only further prove the point, introducing levels of uncertainty that lower the bar for response times and narrow the margins for error.
Fortunately, advancements in sensor technology are enhancing the military’s ability to capture data, identify threats, and make precise, split-second decisions. Enabled by miniaturization, various sensors—including radar, infrared, acoustic, electro-optical, and other modalities—provide larger quantities of timely, validated command-and-control information relevant to life-or-death decision-making.
The new sensor capabilities are helping fuel the development of the kill web, a networked, decentralized approach to prosecuting military campaigns. It involves creating networks of sensors, weapons, and other technologies and deployed personnel to facilitate real-time, up-to-date situational awareness, which can drive higher survival rates.
The effectiveness of this technology is further enhanced by AI and advanced analytics, which deliver "need-to-know" information at scale and speed, empowering commanders and deployed forces to act with confidence and efficiency.
High-performance sensors provide commanders and troops with an electronic set of eyes and ears for capturing an operational picture of the battlefield that feeds data into strategy and tactics.
As part of emerging kill web networks, these sensors are continuously monitoring, collecting, and distributing information for clear-eyed consideration of the most important actions toward mission success. With the help of AI and analytics, they can supply automated threat detection and provide up-to-the-minute updates on emerging threats without putting personnel in harm’s way.
Emerging sensor capabilities can also turn individual personnel into automated mobile intelligence collectors. For example, a DOD program aims to outfit operators with sensor packages that can gather and transmit information while on the move. The goal is to develop the “hyper-enabled operator” and deliver streams of information to command for analysis and teammates for action.
Learning about emerging applications for sensor networks is not exclusive to the DoD. For example, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate Next-Generation First Responder program has been testing and evaluating the equipping of first responders with interoperable sensor and communication suites. According to a case study, DHS worked with emergency officials in the Houston area to test the concept in a hazardous material scenario involving a gas leak from a US Coast Guard ship.
However, given the complexity of a military or first-responder mission, more information isn’t always beneficial, as personnel can rapidly hit their cognitive load limits. That’s why the advent of AI and advanced analytics is making a significant difference.
Generative AI and advanced analytic capabilities help turn raw information feeds on the battlefield into mission differentiators by making crucial connections at a speed that would be impossible for humans. In short, they separate the signal from the noise for actionable insights.
Military planners have far-reaching possibilities for helping warfighters understand and adapt to the often chaotic conditions on the battlefield. For example, a 2021 article from the US Army Combat Capabilities Command, known as DEVCOM, highlights a project designed to assist AI in analyzing uncertainty in data inputs. The goal is to model often confusing and hostile environments where situations change rapidly and data takes time to catch up—essentially, to keep AI systems from becoming confused in the midst of chaos.
Filtering relevant and non-relevant information can be crucial in shaping strategies and improving response times, particularly when threats can materialize from unexpected sources, such as drones or clandestine forces.
According to Military Aerospace, AI can also contribute to longer-term planning by analyzing historical combat data combined with real-time inputs to forecast troop deployments or other maneuvers and implement preemptive measures. This type of application leads to more accurate decision-making and faster adjustments in the presence of new threats.
While a vital tool, AI on the battlefield is just that: a tool. The system can also be vulnerable to biases in training data and hacker attacks. It’s not a substitute for the experience and instincts of commanders and deployed forces. In fact, AI must have human oversight to ensure alignment with strategy and standards.
The combination of sensor technology, AI, and human knowledge is helping redefine battlefield intelligence and decision-making by replacing the traditional "kill chain"—a linear process in which information moves in one direction and decisions in another—with the "kill web."
The kill web concept is more flexible and agile for battlefield command and control, as it links data observations with the troops who can act on them across various layers of the battlefield. By converging these elements, military forces can create a closed-loop system of sorts, where an action on the battlefield leads to updates for the entire system. It’s almost like setting up a dynamic, mobile military command center.
To properly build a kill web, military forces need to continue to make smart investments in sensor technology. It also requires adaptation by all elements in the DoD and from vendors, as they work together to make the kill web concept work to peak efficiency. The challenge is making the system interoperable across sensors, AI, communication systems, and military equipment.
Sensor technology and AI are reshaping battlefield tactics, transforming how conflicts are fought and equipment is acquired. Procurement organizations also need to transform and can do so by adopting a new mindset focused on integrating components in a full systems approach. Sumaria can provide the expertise to help speed that shift.
Sumaria Systems is a reliable and trusted industry partner offering AI services that include advisory, assistance, and advanced analytics. With over forty years of experience, Sumaria has steadily improved its analytic capabilities with AI through research and development. DOD leaders can make rapid, well-informed decisions and gain a competitive edge by expertly leveraging high-quality data, advanced analytics, and AI.