From Drones to Cyber Warfare: The Military Applications of AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) has been all the rage in recent years, with self driving cars and programs such as ChatGPT revolutionising the world. The defence industry is one sector that has undergone major improvements in AI technology. AI is being utilised to expand the capabilities of militaries in ways that were previously thought to be unachievable, from drones to cyberwarfare.

Militaries are utilising AI in a number of ways, including the development of autonomous weapons systems, the use of drones for missile strikes and reconnaissance, and cyberwarfare. Drones incorporating AI capabilities may function independently and make judgements without assistance from humans. UAVs are the most obvious examples of autonomous weapons systems that may function without human intervention, potentially enhancing the speed and effectiveness of military operations. AI is also being utilised to enhance cyber defence systems, assisting in the prevention of cyberattacks and maintaining the security of important military data.

The way wars are fought and won is changing because of AI. Today’s  AI’s sophisticated capabilities are enabling militaries to function more effectively and efficiently, ushering in a new era of warfare. Militaries are  getting new tools and approaches to handle the challenges of modern combat thanks to the employment of AI in drones, autonomous weapons systems, and cyberwarfare. 

Drone use is one of the most significant applications of artificial intelligence in the military. Drones having AI capabilities may function independently and make judgements without assistance from humans. Drones are perfect for reconnaissance and missile strikes because AI enables them to fly autonomously, navigate challenging situations, and avoid obstructions. Drones can detect and track targets by analysing data and making judgements based on that analysis with the aid of AI.

The use of AI in drones has several benefits for military operations. Since drones can fly for longer periods of time and cover more land than regular aircraft, efficiency is one of the biggest benefits. They can therefore acquire data more rapidly and comprehensively than human pilots. AI also enables autonomous decision-making for drones, eliminating the need for human oversight. This may result in quicker reaction times and less danger to human pilots. As AI can evaluate data and make judgements based on that data, it can help identify and track targets more precisely, which is another benefit of utilising AI in drones. Furthermore, drones with sophisticated AI can now independently strike targets, something which has been a cause for concern in recent years. 

The use of AI in unmanned vehicles doesn’t just apply to aerial vehicles. land and sea vehicles are also beginning to use AI. Unmanned ground vehicles (UGV) and unmanned surface vehicles (USV) are beginning to use AI not only for target recognition, but also for swarm operations. This can be labelled as swarm intelligence, where unmanned vehicles can communicate, navigate and perform combat operations in unison, using the shared data to operate as efficiently as possible. Of course, this swarm capability is also a trend which is prevalent in UAVs, such as the STM Kargu.

5th gen fighters are using AI to increase both combat effectiveness and pilot safety. AI enables the data picked up by an assortment of sensors to be quickly assessed and presented to the pilot for unparalleled situational awareness. With the advent of loyal wingman projects, the use of AI in fighter jets will become even more important, as multiple UAVs will need to communicate with a fighter jet in dynamic and dangerous situations, both providing physical protection and enhanced awareness of threats. Fighter jets such as the F-35 and upcoming TFX can land autonomously in the event where a pilot passes out.

The Baykar Bayraktar Kizilelma drone presents a brand new use case for sophisticated AI. Unlike other drones, the Kizilelma is much more like a fighter jet. Not only can it target other aircraft, but it can also perform aggressive manoeuvres. It will be able to operate in GPS denied airspace and under electronic warfare attacks. Therefore, it will heavily rely on AI for operations in areas where communications are cut.

AI is used in a variety of weapon systems such as close range air defence systems, tank turrets and RCWS. The use of AI in such systems enables for quick and accurate targeting of enemy vehicles and troops. The AI can facilitate the tracking of targets, including trajectory predictions based on target speed and direction. 

AI is also employed in cyberwarfare to thwart cyberattacks and safeguard vital military data. Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered systems can be used to quickly identify and respond to cyberthreats, including seeing and thwarting prospective assaults before they can do any harm. AI can also be used to analyse vast amounts of data and spot trends, potentially revealing network weaknesses. AI can also be used to develop “honeypots” or fake assets in order to divert attackers’ attention away from the real valuable assets.

A variety of benefits for military operations come from the employment of AI in cyberwarfare. Increased security is one of the biggest benefits because AI-powered systems can identify and address cyber threats instantly. As a result, potential assaults can be recognised and countered before they have a chance to cause harm, maintaining the security of important military data. Additionally, the use of AI in cyberwarfare enables quicker response times because AI systems can quickly spot patterns in massive amounts of data and evaluate them for possible network flaws.

Future military applications of AI are probably going to be substantially more sophisticated as AI technology develops. AI-powered systems might be utilised, for instance, to command entire battlefields and make tactical decisions in real-time. Additionally, as cyberattacks get more sophisticated, the use of AI in cyberwarfare is anticipated to become more prevalent.