AUKUS demonstrates military autonomy and AI sensing systems

Testing saw the deployment of AI-enabled uncrewed aerial vehicles that allow a human operator to locate, disable and destroy targets on the ground.

The successful trial, which included AUKUS partners and experts from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), used AI and autonomous systems to reduce the time it takes to identify enemy targets and operate with reduced risk to life. 

This included several drones from each nation operating together in the same airspace to achieve a common outcome, whilst being augmented by an AUKUS AI team, which retrained and deployed AI onto the drones. 

In a statement, Commodore Rachel Singleton, head of the Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC), and UK lead for AUKUS AI and Autonomy Working Group, said: “Resilient and Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Technologies [RAAIT] provides the opportunity to develop, test and trial AI models on autonomous systems.

“The AUKUS partnership is key to ensuring that the systems designed by each nation are interoperable into the future. Service personnel from one nation will be supported by capabilities that have been developed across all three nations.”

The trial took place as part of the annual US-hosted multinational Project Convergence experimentation exercise. It demonstrated the improvements AUKUS partners have made to the application and viability of RAAIT since the first UK trial in April 2023. The technology has been developing at pace and, once proven, will be incorporated onto national platforms.

Through AUKUS, new capabilities are being tested to protect platforms. This includes protecting armoured vehicles from electronic warfare, laser and GPS attacks. Under Pillar 2, AUKUS partners are deepening cooperation on a range of military technologies.