David Spirk, chief data officer of the U.S. Special Operations Command, said the command is seeking artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities to support the development of Hyper Enabled Operator technology, C4ISRnet reported Saturday. The HEO effort is slated to succeed SOCOM’s Tactical Assault Light Operator Suit program which will run for five years.
“The only way we have HEO in the future is if we can reduce the cognitive load of that operator and his ability to command his resources at his disposal through automation and applied AI,†Spirk said.
He added that ML and AI technologies can improve automation at operation centers, support mission-specific forecasting and help operators leverage and disseminate intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance data in the field.
SOCOM intends to hold an AI symposium this month to discuss plans for establishing a sustainable AI portfolio.
