AFRL Tasks BAE Systems With Creating AI-Powered Training Tool for Air Operations

BAE Systems has won a $17 million Technical Area 2, Plan Gaming and Outcome Analysis contract from the Air Force Research Laboratory to create an artificial intelligence-powered interactive game environment meant to train air operations planners. The company’s FAST Labs division will work with Uncharted Software and Kestrel Institute as part of the Fight Tonight program.

According to Mike Miller, technical director at FAST Labs, the project will use AI to generate multiple plans, adding that it will incorporate a “drag-and-drop video game-like” interface to simplify and speed up adjustments, BAE said.

The award follows a December 2021 presolicitation notice by AFRL for industry white papers on how AI and video games can aid in planning and decision-making. The research lab described a solution that can automatically devise strategies from inputted situations.

AFRL issued the presolicitation under Fight Tonight, an initiative that would provide up to $99 million in funds toward the development of time-saving technologies for master air attack planning.

Space Systems Command recently held its own version of Fight Tonight to collect novel operation and capability proposals from U.S. Space Force warfighters. The winners of the contest are scheduled to be revealed on Nov. 18 at the Space Force Ball.