WASHINGTON — The Australian, U.K. and U.S. trilateral security partnership known as AUKUS, often associated with the construction of nuclear-powered submarines, is also beginning to bear fruit in the fields of artificial intelligence and autonomy.
While the first pillar of the AUKUS agreement seeks to furnish Canberra with stealthy undersea vessels, the second, less talked-about pillar aims to foster leaps in all things digital: robotics, intelligence sharing, advanced computing and more.
Among the AUKUS Pillar 2 advancements made thus far are the successful interplay of air and ground vehicles, including Blue Bear Ghost drones, Challenger 2 main battle tanks and a commercially hired FV433 Abbot self-propelled artillery gun, and the development of software that enables the sharing of submarine-hunting information over a vast region such as the Indo-Pacific.
The U.S. Defense Department years ago identified AI as a game-changer; the technology, officials say, can quickly parse otherwise overwhelming amounts of information, augment a commander’s decision-making process, and help reallocate precious manpower. The department in fiscal 2024 requested $1.8 billion for AI while juggling hundreds of related projects, including some tied to major weapons systems.
AI is also a critical piece of the Defense Department’s Combined Joint All-Domain Command and Control concept.
The latest iteration of CJADC2 envisions seamless information-sharing across land, air, sea, space and cyber, and in concert with international forces. The U.S. would work closely with the U.K. and Australia in a fight against Russia or China, demanding clear lines of communication and delegations.
By jointly developing AI and its underlying infrastructure, the U.K. Ministry of Defence said in May, the militaries can figure out interoperability now, and not later, when bullets are flying, while also reducing costs.
“Accelerating technological advances will deliver the operational advantages necessary to defeat current and future threats across the battlespace,” Lt. Gen. Rob Magowan, the U.K. deputy chief of defense staff for military capability, said in a statement at the time. “We are committed to collaborating with partners to ensure that we achieve this while also promoting the responsible development and deployment of AI.”
