AUKUS partners demonstrate AI-enabled drones with lethal capabilities, a 1st

In a significant landmark for Australia, the UK, and the US (AUKUS), the three nations have trialed a futuristic integration of autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) for the first time.

The testing saw the deployment of a series of AI-enabled uncrewed aerial vehicles that allow a human operator to locate, disable, and destroy targets on the ground.

This ground-breaking exercise, which included AUKUS partners and experts from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), is the first use of autonomy and AI sensing systems in a real-time military environment.

Aimed at fast precision strike

The successful trial focused on collaborative AI and autonomy with allies to ensure the best possible outcomes.

AI and autonomous systems were used to reduce the time it takes to identify enemy targets and operate with reduced risk to life.

This included several drones from each nation operating together in the same airspace to achieve a common outcome, augmented by an AUKUS AI team that retrained and deployed AI onto the platforms.

The seamless exchange of data and control between the three nations’ technologies demonstrated AUKUS’s progress in the trilateral adoption of AI and autonomous systems.

Commodore Rachel Singleton, Head of the Defence Artificial Intelligence Centre (DAIC) and UK lead for AUKUS AI and Autonomy Working Group, said, “Resilient and Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Technologies provide the opportunity to develop, test, and trial AI models on autonomous systems.

“The AUKUS partnership is key to ensuring that the systems designed by each nation are interoperable into the future. Service personnel from one nation will be supported by capabilities that have been developed across all 3 nations.”

Developing at a rapid pace

The trial, part of a series named AUKUS Resilient and Autonomous Artificial Intelligence Technologies (RAAIT), took place as part of the annual US-hosted multinational Project Convergence experimentation exercise.

AUKUS continues to safely and responsibly develop and deploy AI and autonomy technologies that ensure context-appropriate meaningful human control.

The trial demonstrated the significant improvements AUKUS partners have made to the application and viability of RAAIT since the first UK trial in April 2023 .

The technology has been developing rapidly and, once proven, will be incorporated onto national platforms, providing the military with operational advantage through a quicker response to current and future threats.

AUKUS has tested new capabilities to protect platforms like armored vehicles from electronic warfare, laser, and GPS attacks.

Working across the AUKUS nations in this way means our militaries have greater interoperability and access to the most advanced AI across all three nations. It also opens up opportunities for sovereign industry partners.

AUKUS is a landmark defense and security partnership between Australia, the UK, and the US that supports Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific security and the rules-based international order.

Under Pillar 2, AUKUS partners are deepening cooperation on cutting-edge military technologies, enhancing the military edge for the UK and our allies. This ensures we have the capabilities to defend against rapidly evolving threats.