The Use Of Artificial Intelligence In Military Applications
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is a generic term signifying the continuous evolution of computer sciences from the earliest electronic calculation machines to the present day sophisticated robotics. The eventual goal is to achieve the capability of producing machines which can surpass or at least match human intelligence. The objective has already been achieved or even exceeded in exclusive areas but a complete simulation of all functions of human brain still remains elusive. Notwithstanding this, research in Artificial Intelligence, which started in 1950s, has led to a wide array of its applications finding their way in nearly every conceivable field including but not restricted to agriculture, aviation, commerce, communications, engineering, finance, industry, medical science, management, space and telecommunications.
Military applications of Artificial Intelligence are wide and varied encompassing numerous areas including smart weapon systems, advanced communications, precision munitions, information processing and networks, strategic planning, tactical decision making, logistics and supply systems, battle space management, unmanned aerial platforms, training simulators, and automated security system. Modern militaries have assimilated various Artificial Intelligence related applications as manifested in their adoption of high technology as the prime notion for achieving superior military capability. Military analysts believe that Artificial Intelligence will be the defining feature of the impending Revolution in Military Affairs which is said to redefine the nature of warfare. Future warfare is, therefore, expected to be technologically intensive with Artificial Intelligence being one of the major components of various integrated technologies.
Computer science has always been an integral part of military operations. The earliest use of intelligent machines was in the area of military applications. Artificial Intelligence (AI) machines play integral role in battle field scenarios where military decision and planning demands an increased use of artificial systems. Human capability falls short in typical chaotic battlefield scenario hence use of AI machines economizes time by efficiently analyzing and calculating options.
Today, we see extensive use of AI techniques in military decision making and planning process in areas like data coordination, analysis, data delivery, data development, prediction, quantification of uncertainty, providing data to user in optimal form and highlighting courses of action. A current example of such applications is a planning tool named “DART”, the use of which was first tested in Operations Desert Storm and Desert Shield. A specific class of AI tools has brought a revolutionizing impact on decision making specifically in the field of uncertainty and is simply achieved by timely coordination of data delivery, its analysis and computational actions. Most common tool being used in planning and decision making is Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) which builds on data for detection of target when radar information/ Forward Looking infra-Red (FLIR) is fed.
