USSOCOM AI
USSOCOM EMBRACES NEW TECHNOLOGIES BY SCOTT R. GOURLEY
the U.S. Department of Defense, descriptions of future qAcross concepts and capabilities are frequently accompanied by a laundry list of technologies that could be embraced, from 3D visualization to artificial intelligence (AI) to artificial reality (AR) to mixed reality (MR) to machine learning (ML) to virtual reality (VR). U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) representatives have also pointed to many of these technologies for their potential application to special operations forces (SOF) operations. Significantly, as with many USSOCOM efforts, the command has moved quickly beyond the talking phase and is accelerating the application and exploitation of the identified technologies. A case in point surfaced in early December 2019, when USSOCOM representatives used the annual Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference (I/ITSEC), held in Orlando, Florida, and widely recognized as the world’s largest modeling, simulation, and training event, to highlight the application of emerging technologies against unique SOF mission sets. Titled “AI Game Theory: Game Changing or Game Over? 3D and AI Technologies Changing the Game,” the USSOCOM presentation was part of a SOF Simulation Technologies Capability Assessment Event (CAE) “prize challenge” conducted in collaboration with SOFWERX. As described in the original SOFWERX announcement, the goal of the CAE was to allow USSOCOM and other government stakeholders to “assess new, novel and provocative solutions for incorporating advanced technologies into SOF planning, preview, training, exercise, rehearsal, execution, after action review and analysis capabilities.” “Emerging simulation technologies will be assessed for their technology maturity and risk while providing insight for deciding next steps, such as experimentation, assessment and investment in rapid prototyping to tailor for training and operational use,” it stated. Identified topic areas of specific interest included: virtual reality, augmented reality and mixed reality that flow seamlessly across training, operational, live, virtual, synthetic and constructive environments; fused intel and ops capabilities that can be shared with partner forces; AI-enabled workflows that extend and accelerate human capabilities; standards-based solutions that enable machineto-machine automation; and objective metrics for quantitative analysis of team and individual performance.
78
Special Operations Outlook
