Nichols Martin
Raytheon Technologies' intelligence and space business will award a combined amount of $400,000 to academic partners for artificial intelligence development initiatives that will focus on augmenting military defense systems and continue through 2022.
Southern Methodist University and Virginia Tech will receive $175,000 and $225,000, respectively, to develop AI and machine learning technologies applicable to military operations, Raytheon said Tuesday.
The efforts under the Raytheon Technologies Applications of AI to Defense Systems project aims to mature Cognitive Aids to Sensor Processing, Exploitation and Response smart software capabilities.
SMU will work on human-machine teaming and competency-aware machine learning while Virginia Tech will focus on close loop control and sensor automation.
Barbara Borgonovi, vice president of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance systems at Raytheon Intelligence and Space, said the partnerships aim to further explore how AI can support military systems and decision making.
The overall effort is meant to lighten the workload of sensor operators and expand the targeting coverage of military systems.
Eric Larson, an SMU professor who performs research at the Darwin Deason Institute for Cyber Security, said he expects the university's image analytics project to help operators exceed the current limits of image understanding.
Raytheon Technologies will award additional funds over time as the studies move forward.
