Ai Technology Helping Sort

Ai Technology Helping Sort Intelligence Data

Intelligence analysts at Air Force’s No. 83 Squadron are now using artificial intelligence (Ai) to help sort through large volumes of data, thanks to three Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) scientists.

Guy Blucher, Victor Stamatescu and David Farmer have worked closely with Defence’s Chief Information Officer Group (CIOG) to deploy their Ai-based intelligence analysis demonstrator to operators at No. 83 Squadron.

“We’ve established some new concept-to-capability pathways and are really pleased that end users now have access to the tool,” Mr Blucher said.

The No. 83 Squadron analysts are able to drop data into the tool via their web browsers.

The data is processed by the Intelligence, Surveillance and Space Division (ISSD)-developed tool on the DSTG digital infrastructure and then returned to the analysts in different browser tabs.

Cloud-based infrastructure has given the team sufficient flexibility and agility in terms of computer options and technology choices to build an uncompromised Ai solution using modern software approaches.

The team now hopes to transition this demonstrator to an enduring capability through Defence’s AIR3503, which is the project to acquire the Distributed Ground Station – Australia (DGS-AUS) weapon system designed for the analysis of data collected from existing and future Air Force intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance platforms.

The plan is for data processing to be progressively shifted onto Air Force in partnership with CIOG, No. 83 Squadron and AIR3503.

The demonstrator is another capability built on the foundation of DSTG’s long-established, highly successful Analysts’ Detection Support System (ADSS).

“It began as a small ‘quick look’ project initiated by RAAF’s Plan Jericho in 2018,” Mr Stamatescu said.

“We had six weeks and a whole bunch of unlabelled wide-area surveillance video data from a fifthgeneration platform.

“Our client wanted to see whether we could remove the boring parts and keep the interesting bits.”

After presenting their results to Deputy Chief of Air Force, they were asked to further develop the application.

What was needed was a largescale, wide-area, post-mission analysis system with automatic detection, tracking and classification of targets – one that could ingest days and days, perhaps years, of mission data and look for patterns of life in time and geolocation and learn.

Such a system could then help Air Force analysts in the assessment of fresh data.

According to Mr Blucher, the increasing volume, variety and veracity of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance data being collected now and the amount that will collected into the future by Defence is outpacing the analytical workforce.

“If we want to discover and display patterns of life in this amount of data, we need to apply artificial intelligence techniques across a spectrum of collection modalities,” he said.

Artificial intelligence relies on training using labelled data – the more the better. So in 2019, Air Force analysts from DGS-AUS joined Mr Blucher, Mr Stamatescu and Mr Farmer to label operational data that could then be used to train the DSTG models to accurately detect and track targets of interest.

Mr Stamatescu said his experience was, when exercising an Ai system on vast amounts of mission data, errors or false alarms arose.

“You need an analyst on the loop to say, ‘No, that’s a cloud or a reflection off the sea; it’s not a boat’. Getting those wrinkles out is hard work and the more labelled data the better,” he said.

Labelling data for machine learning was not straightforward.

“The RAAF analysts have expertise in identifying targets,” Mr Stamatescu said.

“But when labelling for machine consumption, you need to think like a machine.

“Training our RAAF colleagues is also helping us understand how they want to use the tool and how to make data labelling a part of their everyday processes.”

Mr Farmer has been focusing on building a collegial, mutually beneficial relationship with No. 83 Squadron, its headquarters in Information Warfare Directorate and sister squadrons Nos 87 and 460 Squadrons.

Coalition Virtual Flag 21-1 (CVF21-1) is a large force composite exercise held in a simulated battle space. The exercise was held at various locations around the world and in Australia. Defence image.

“We’re providing tooling for their data,” he said.

“At the same time, we are showing the art of the possible on other types of data.

“We demonstrate what we’re doing and ask them about the way they use the systems.

“That really helps us work out the end-user requirements.”

Mr Blucher was adamant the demonstrator needed to migrate out of DSTG if it was going to be supporting operations.

“We’re acting as a pathfinder and risk-reduction activity for the integration of these sorts of tools into military platforms and processes," he said.

“It will be easier next time for other groups following the same transition path to end users. “Having an analyst on the loop, using the machine to augment their workflow by doing all the boring bits, is really where we need to be heading.

“This is demonstrating a machineaugmented on-mission and postmission workflow for a fifth-generation Air Force.”

CIOG Director General Business Relationship Management Air Commodore Leon Phillips agreed.

“Artificial intelligence and machine learning are force-multipliers for our scarce numbers of highly skilled workforce analysts, as Air Force seeks to fully exploit the capabilities of its fifthgeneration platforms,” Air Commodore Phillips said.

Mr Blucher, Mr Stamatescu and Mr Farmer said they were proud of what they had achieved and were keen to make further progress.

David Kilmartin Defence News.

Collaboration Creates Drone Sensor

A collaboration between Air Force’s Air Warfare Centre (AWC) and Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) has culminated in the creation of a drone detection system.

The Windtalker, designed and created at DSTG Edinburgh, is a realtime sensor that can monitor airspace for uncrewed aerial vehicle activity and then stimulate algorithms for the purposes of detection, recognition and decision-making.

Gordon Sherlock, from DSTG, spoke highly of the growing relationship between DSTG and the AWC.

“In late 2019, DSTG and AWC entered into a memorandum of understanding to assist in realising mutual engineering benefits for both organisations,” Mr Sherlock said.

“The staff at the Air Warfare Centre are renowned for their professionalism, skills, knowledge and technical ability.

“I have seen first-hand how the AWC avionics technicians have brought transferrable skills to the team and how the Air Force’s robust training continuum complements the wide array of tasks required to be performed at DSTG.”

In order to keep communication open between the two organisations, Ant Perry recently took on the role of science and technology adviser to the AWC.

“It is a great privilege to take on the role here at the Air Warfare Centre and be able to contribute to some really worthwhile projects,” Mr Perry said.

“Unmanned aerial system misuse can cause safety issues and security concerns for the Australian Defence Force and the Windtalker drone sensor detection system provides users a common operating picture of the airspace.

“Unlike the US Department of Defense drone detection system, the Windtalker here in Adelaide has incorporated the additional functionality of an ADS-B receiver that will allow us to track the flight path of ADS-Bequipped aircraft within range of the Windtalker.

“The Windtalker system is evidence of the win-win DSTG and RAAF partnership.”

Working at DSTG, Corporal Stan Filipek said he was pleased to be one of the uniformed members representing the AWC.

Science and Technology Advisor, Ant Perry and Air Warfare Engineering Squadron, Avionics Technician Corporal Stanislaw Filipek inspect the Windtalker drone sensor detection system at DST Edinburgh, South Australia. Defence image.

“At DSTG, I facilitate the manufacture of technical componentry and assembly of electronic components,” Corporal Filipek said.

“It has been exciting to be a part of the partnership between the two agencies.

“I like to think of the Windtalker project as a representation of the fruits of our labour.”

The AWC exists within Air Command and is critical to establishing the Air Force as a modern and fully integrated combat force that can deliver air and space power effects in the information age.

The AWC is supported by an integrated workforce which includes Air Force, Army, Navy, Australian Public Service and Defence industry personnel.

Bullsbrook is blossoming.

If you’re being posted to Pearce Air Base, now’s the time to think about building in Kingsford, Bullsbrook. Just minutes from RAAF Pearce, Kingsford is a beautiful place to live and is really coming to life.

It’s nestled between the famous fresh produce and wine growing districts of the Chittering Valley and Swan Valley. Designed to complement the natural undulations of the land and the meandering course of the tree-lined Ki-It Monger Brook, Kingsford offers an idyllic lifestyle.

Perth CBD 40 mins

STOCK ROAD Ellenbrook 10 mins NORTHLINK

Pearce Air Force Base

Midland 20 mins

GREAT NORTHERN HIGHWAY

Future Primary School

Future District Playground

Conservation Park Existing Local Shops

Future Town Centre

Airport 25 mins

Joondalup 30 mins

NORTHLINK

Church

Sales Office & Cafe

Ki-It Monger Brook

Hilltop Community Centre

Future Lakeside Park Muchea 10 mins

GREAT NORTHERN HIGHWAY

St John Ambulance

Bullsbrook College

CHITTERING ROAD

A masterplanned community that’s already taking off.

Kingsford has been designed with one simple idea in mind: To be a better place to live.

Okeland Communities planned Kingsford to offer an exceptional lifestyle for its residents. Kingsford ticks all the boxes for proximity to schools and sports clubs, connectivity to major employment hubs, walkability, public open space and neighbourly belonging.

Here’s a snapshot of the key masterplan features:

.Over 41ha retained public open space, creek lines, & manicured parklands

.2,500 homesites upon completion

.New café at entryway

.The future Town Centre will include a major supermarket, specialty stores, cafés and a medical centre

.Brand new adventure playground

.Alongside Bullsbrook’s established school, community centre, shops and sporting clubs

Get more backyard for your buck.

Your budget goes a little further at Kingsford. Large homesites give you more room for entertaining and more room for kids to thrive.

Kingsford homesites average over 500sqm, which is 125sqm bigger than the average block in Perth’s new estates. There are also quarter acre homesites and larger lots up to 2000sqm. Imagine the possibilities! Your family can live large with room for a pool, trampoline, multi-car garage and more.

Just 35km from the CBD.

Surrounded by tranquil natural bushland and nestled in the aweinspiring beauty of the Darling Scarp foothills, Kingsford seems miles away from the hustle and bustle. But it’s just an easy drive from the Perth CBD.

The brand new Tonkin Highway connects you to Perth’s major destinations with barely a traffic light to disrupt your journey. And the Great Northern Highway connects you with Perth’s renowned Swan Valley region.

Here are the distances to some of the major local destinations:

.Ellenbrook Town Centre: 10 minutes

.Midland: 20 minutes

.Joondalup: 30 minutes

.Perth Airport: 25 minutes

.Pearce Air Base: 1 minute

MINDARIE

Northlink Perth to Darwin Highway

Mitchell Freeway

Tonkin Highway RAAF Base Pearce Great Northern Highway 35KM

Future Bayswater - Ellenbrook train line

Toodyay Road

PERTH CBD

Kwinana Freeway

WELLARD 35KM

If this is your dream, Kingsford is your kind of place. Land now selling! Visit kingsford.com.au or call (08) 9217 3680 to find out more.

A community set to soar.

Kingsford sits alongside the established town of Bullsbrook, with all its history, thriving community and conveniences. The existing school is highly regarded and caters for students from Kindergarten to Year 12. There are many thriving sporting clubs and community groups, ready to welcome new members. Alongside the town’s sporting fields is the multi-million-dollar Ethel Warren Community Centre with a library, Bullseye Youth Centre and group meeting facilities.

Adding to the existing facilities, Kingsford has built an adventure playground, and a new café overlooking landscaped gardens and the Ki-It Monger Brook.

Soon, Kingsford’s new Town Centre will add a fresh vibrancy to the region and create a social hub for the community. The Town Centre will include a major supermarket and a contemporary mix of specialty stores plus restaurants, cafés, medical services, and active community spaces.

An investment in growth.

Kingsford is an ideal place to build a nest egg, too.

It is located in the sweet spot between major employment hubs. These include the Muchea industrial area to the north, the commercial offices of Midland and manufacturing district of Malaga to the south, the tourism precinct of the Swan Valley and, of course, the adjacent Pearce Air Base.

With employment and population growth in the region, Kingsford will be a highly sought-after place to live.

You have the opportunity to build a new home during your posting at Pearce, and then use it as an investment rental property should your career take you elsewhere.

Room for every sized dream.

Most of us dream of a more comfortable life. Kingsford gives you the rare opportunity to have space for your family to grow, be one minute from work, and live a larger life.

Capturing Data Faster Than A Speeding Bullet

A sensor that has shown potential to measure the speed and predict the trajectory of incredibly fast-moving objects has been developed in a partnership between Air Force and university researchers.

The prototype MANTIS (MutualAxis Neuromorphic Twin Imaging System) sensor is the result of the work of the University of Sydney Nano Institute and Air Force’s Jericho Disruptive Innovation.

The Jericho Smart Sensing Lab (JSSL) at the University of Sydney developed the prototype in three months, and Director of the University of Sydney Nano Institute Professor Ben Eggleton led the team.

He said the MANTIS prototype integrated a neuromorphic and traditional camera side by side in a portable unit that is interfaced with artificial intelligence and machine learning to provide advanced situational awareness.

The dashboard and on-board processing enable a direct comparison of the images they produce and allow for rapid exploration of the neuromorphic sensor capabilities.

The JSSL team recently tested MANTIS at the RAAF Base Richmond small arms range to capture imagery of small arms’ engagements, including rounds from a 9mm pistol and 5.56mm rounds from an F88.

The activities were designed to help better understand MANTIS’ capability in detecting fast-moving objects or events.

MANTIS showed promising signs of being able to predict the trajectory and velocity of incredibly fast-moving objects.

The 4kg small-form carry-on design allows the camera to be easily used on aircraft, ships and vehicles to detect challenging targets in any environment.

While a traditional camera is constrained by frame rates, each pixel in a neuromorphic camera functions independently and is always ‘on’.

This means the imaging system is triggered by events.

If it’s monitoring a static scene, the sensor sees nothing and no data is generated.

Head of Air Force Capability Air Vice Marshal Cath Roberts attended the demonstration of the sensor.

“There are many things that excite me about MANTIS," Air Vice Marshal Roberts said.

“The level of detail that it provides and being able to track high-speed events is very impressive.

“It's an amazing sensor fusion that has really strong applications across Defence.”

The Defence Science and Technology Group (DSTG) was also involved in the collaboration, providing early guidance and input.

Vladimir Perejogin from DSTG said event-based sensors represented an affordable and innovative, yet highly capable and resilient electro-optic sensing technology that leveraged millions of years of evolutionary process.

“In partnership with Jericho Disruptive Innovation, we are engaged in event-based sensor research to rapidly assess and demonstrate its utility in addressing a number of priority Defence needs," he said.

Despite being developed through an Air Force partnership, MANTIS will be tested by all three services to

Mr Jack Liang, an Electronics Engineer from the University of Sydney, trials a neuromorphic camera to capture shots fired by Leading Aircraftman Connor Fergusson at RAAF Base Richmond's 25 metre weapons range. Defence images.

explore how additional sensor diversity can provide Defence with an edge.

Future iterations of MANTIS could also see it combined with a robotic eye to allow for surveillance of large portions of airspace looking for air vehicles passively driving around.

What does MANTIS stand for? Mutual-Axis Neuromorphic Twin Imaging System. What does neuromorphic mean? Any large-scale system of integrated circuits that mimic neuro-biological architectures present in the nervous system. How is a neuromorphic camera different to a traditional camera? While a traditional camera is constrained by frame rates, each pixel in a neuromorphic camera functions independently and is always ‘on’. This means the imaging system is triggered by events. If it’s monitoring a static scene, the sensor sees nothing, and no data is generated. On the other hand, when there is an event, the neuromorphic sensor has much greater sensitivity, dynamic range and speed versus a traditional camera. What is the JSSL? Established in 2019, the Jericho Smart Sensing Lab is a leading edge science design initiative embedded in the Nanoscience Hub at the University of Sydney sponsored by RAAF.

Canberra market surges through Covid as beacon for investors

Canberra’s property market continues to exceed all pre-Covid expectations into the second half of 2021, with investors enjoying significant returns from both yield and capital gain while numbers continue to gain momentum.

Returns being enjoyed by investors across all corners of the have been particularly pleasing, where unit price growth has jumped by almost 9% in the last 12 months.

Canberra’s largest developer, Geocon has established projects in each major town centre across the ACT.

In Belconnen its Nightfall project represents the final chapter of the Republic Precinct, currently the largest mixed-use precinct under construction in Australia. Close to the University of Canberra, public hospitals, schools, transport, Lake Ginninderra and Westfield Belconnen, both Nightfall and High Society have received unprecedented investor interest since the market boomed at the beginning of 2021.

In the city Geocon has almost completed its Metropol project, three Fender Katsalidis designed buildings in a single, premium residential offering. Metropol residents have the choice of two of Australia’s leading universities in the ANU and the soon-to-be established UNSW within walking distance, as well as government office blocks, the Canberra Centre and all the attractions of a big city, all on their doorstop.

Woden is currently undergoing an infrastructure boom, with the Canberra Hospital expansion, stage 2 of the light rail network and the Canberra Institute of Technology all in final planning and approval stages to be built over the coming decade. Geocon has taken advantage of the boom first with its Grand Central Towers project, which completed in December 2020. Geocon will double down in Woden with WOVA’s almost 800 apartments to begin in the coming months.

In Tuggeranong and Gungahlin Geocon has partnered with Empire Global to deliver two joint venture projects. Aspen Village in Tuggeranong offers lake views, unrivalled amenity and access to government employment hubs in Greenway. The Establishment promises a connected lifestyle for its residents, with the Hibberson Street light rail stop only a five minute stroll through the town centre.

The numbers are now so compelling that Canberra is top of the stack in each of Australia’s the key performance indicators including yield, vacancy, employment, wages and capital growth.

Growth of almost 9% on apartments in Canberra’s northern suburb of Belconnen have brazenly defied lock-down predictions, some of which speculated dips of anywhere up to 30% for the ACT.

Leading property economist and commentator, Dr Andrew Wilson, described the numbers as both ‘remarkable’ and ‘outstanding’ during his recent trip to the capital to speak with investors.

“It is remarkable to see how many market-factors Canberra is now leading, and how much growth there has been across the board for the market to arrive where it is today,” Dr Wilson said.

“Using Geocon’s Nightfall and High Society projects in the Republic Precinct as an example, investors can expect average rents of $650, easily accommodating a positively geared loan and a set-and-forget path to becoming financially secure.

“Coupling this with capital growth of around 9% in Belconnen, unit vacancy of just over 1% and the argument for Canberra investment becomes almost impossible to ignore.”

Dr Wilson said there were several factors driving investor appeal in Canberra, the most obvious being the lack of quality stock, which drove down vacancy and up rental yields.

“Developers like Geocon can try to keep up with demand, but it’s never long until there is a shortage and rents rise.

“It’s not rocket science ... with vacancy of just over 1%, there is literally nothing to rent and so the price goes up,” he said.

“Canberra is a smart, well paid population. The ACT has had Australia’s lowest unemployment numbers for the year-to-date at just 3.4%, almost 2% lower than the national average at 5.5%.

Dr Wilson said the investor market in Canberra had become busier than any other Australian capital city during 2021, citing auction clearance rates north of 90% as evidence the market had woken up to the ACT.

“With interest rates so low, negative gearing is less attractive and yield really has come into play. The full rental market and fastest returns of any city over the last five years really do make Canberra an obvious choice for property investors,” Dr Wilson said.