Australia, the US, and the UK are ramping up their work on artificial intelligence (AI) and other technologies under the AUKUS pact.One area of focus is using AI to help track submarines. The three countries have already cooperated on a project to use AI on board aircraft like Australia’s P-8A maritime patrollers to gather and process data from sonobuoys.
This will allow for “timely high-volume data analysis, improving our anti-submarine warfare capabilities,” according to a joint statement.
Another area of focus is the development of “Resilient and Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Technologies” (RAAIT). This program will bring AI and machine learning (ML) to “force protection, precision targeting, and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance,” with an operational target of 2024.
New deep space radar instrument
Australia has already started assembling the skills needed to feed data into the AI and ML models.Other technology projects identified in the communique include space surveillance, autonomous maritime vehicles, and quantum navigation.
The Harold E Holt radio facility in Exmouth, WA, is to receive a new deep space radar instrument. The government said the deep space advanced radar capability will be a collaboration between all AUKUS partners, providing 24-hour all-weather tracking of both space junk and potentially hostile objects.
The Exmouth station already hosts space radar capabilities such as the space surveillance telescope, which became operational in Australia last year after it was relocated from its original US site.
Atom interferometry to enhance the partners’ operations
However, the SST is a nighttime-only site, whereas the proposed new instrument would operate 24 hours a day.The three countries have agreed to conduct joint experiments to enhance the sophistication, capability, and interoperability of their autonomous marine systems.
Quantum “positioning, navigation, and timing” is also being explored. This would involve the use of technologies like atom interferometry to enhance the partners’ operations in “GPS-degraded environments” and to “enhance stealth in the undersea domain”.
The AUKUS pact is a major step forward in cooperation between the three countries on defense and technology. It is clear that the three countries are committed to working together to develop new and innovative technologies that will help them to keep their countries safe.
