Air Force Seeks to Expand Use of AI, Gaming Technologies for Decision-Making

The Air Force Research Laboratory announced its intention to overhaul its air operations and planning procedures by mixing artificial intelligence-driven planning with interactive gaming to significantly cut the Air Tasking Order planning cycle. In a presolicitation notice released Monday, the Air Force called on the industry to help it use AI and gaming technologies to expedite the combat decision-making process, NextGov reported Tuesday.

The Fight Tonight program calls for white papers on relevant research from potential vendors, who may then be invited to provide technical specifications and prototypes of solutions.

The AFRL said individual grant awards will range from $3 million and $40 million with the total funding estimated at about $99 million.

The Air Force asked interested parties to deliver a solution that can be fed different situations, and then with the help of AI, can quickly come up with operational decisions. The notice also specifically mentions that the AI technology featured in the research must be “human-guided” and take place in an interactive gaming environment to simulate combat plans and explore battlespace strategies.

Fight Tonight is one instance of the Air Force utilizing AI innovation. The service has also teamed up with Massachusetts-based Aptima, which has supplied a program that supports flight trainees by pitting them against automated enemy pilots under a four-year, $5.2 million contract.

The deadline for all vendors to submit their proposals is Jan. 10. Subsequent proposals will be due by Feb. 25, the AFRL said.