The Department of Defense (DoD) recognizes the imperative to embrace artificial intelligence (AI) and autonomy to effectively navigate the challenges of modern warfare. Leveraging data and analytics, including AI/autonomy, remains paramount across various DoD missions encompassing command and control, intelligence, logistics, and fires. To capitalize on the nation's AI expertise, the DoD has established AI Hubs to expedite research and innovation and launched the Accelerating Data and AI (ADA) initiative, embedding digital teams within Combatant Commands to facilitate agile decision-making. Furthermore, the Responsible AI Strategy and Implementation Pathway, released in June 2022, underscores the DoD's structured approach to fostering responsible AI development. In his keynote address, the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense, Dr. David Honey, will offer insights into AI, autonomy, and other critical technologies, alongside detailing how the Research and Engineering (R&E) office is streamlining processes to facilitate smoother collaboration with companies interested in doing business with the Department. By prioritizing the mitigation of unintended bias in AI models and establishing robust data governance policies, the DoD aims to uphold AI ethical principles and ensure the safety, security, and trustworthiness of AI and autonomous systems deployed in defense operations.
This paper examines some of the technologies and challenges facing the community in providing robust communications for the network-enabled command, control and information dissemination needed for successful Major Combat Operations (MCO), Security and Sustain Operations (SASO) and other military operations in the future.
Network Centric Operations, in the context of this paper, consists of much more than "network centric warfare." It connects the joint war fighting "enterprise" with tactical "decider-sensor-effector" linkages. It includes the integration of all levels of warfare operations and, in particular, integration with the cognitive processes employed by battle commanders. Network Centric Operations have the potential to provide information superiority to the battle commander but only if the system is Joint-Oriented and Commander -Centric as well as network-centric.
Optical interconnects are being used increasingly in military systems. Sensor platforms in particular have seen great benefit from the use of fiberoptics as a replacement for coaxial cables. Optical interconnects is continuing to find new application at shorter and shorter distances throughout the sensor platform. High density free space optical components will extend the use of optical interconnects down to the inter-chip level. However, optical interconnect technologies can do more than just transmit data at high speeds. The ability to simultaneously process and transmit optical data, as could be done in optical signal processing, gives optical interconnects the ability to inject new capabilities into sensor system on-board processing. In order to see actual field deployment, these new technologies will need to be rigorously tested.
A 16-channel plane-to-plane optical interconnect suitable for a multilayer multichip module computer system was demonstrated. a single diffractive optic element was used to focus the outputs from a 4 X 4 array of LEDs son one plane to a corresponding array of photodetectors on a second plane. This architecture can be used to overcome the speed, interconnect number and density, and power limitations of traditional electronic interconnects.
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