AUKUS Tests AI in Autonomous Vehicles to Defeat Electronic Warfare, Laser

Australia, the U.K., and the U.S. have demonstrated the integration of  artificial intelligence (AI) into autonomous assets through the Trusted Operation of Robotic Vehicles in a Contested Environment (TORVICE) trial.

Australian scientists subjected the vehicles to attacks from electronic warfare, electro optical laser, and position, navigation and timing systems to test resilience.

Use of AI based systems will improve the speed of response to electronic and laser attack.

TORVICE tested the ability of autonomous vehicles to complete their missions and preserve network connectivity in a contested environment.

The trial comprised UK and US robotic ground vehicles to represent autonomous multi-domain launchers and uncrewed ground vehicles, tasked to conduct long-range precision fires and other associated missions. The vehicles carried no weapons during the trial.

Guy Powell, Principal Adviser, Land Autonomy, UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory, said networked autonomy would be critical to future warfighting.

“Robotic and autonomous systems have the potential to transform the battlefield providing a force multiplier while reducing risk to warfighters,” he said.