"Maven" AI system: US Army awards Palantir another contract worth millions
Palantir and the US Army cooperate for the Maven Smart System. The AI system is already accelerating decision-making in the Middle East.
(Image: Spyro the Dragon/Shutterstock.com)
The US Department of Defense has signed a contract with Palantir USG Inc. worth USD 480 million for the further development of the "Maven Smart System" (MSS). Maven uses artificial intelligence to identify enemy systems in theaters of operations and is considered a key component of the United States' so-called "Kill Cloud". The AI is designed to help commanders and other personnel make faster and better decisions and improve the efficiency and effectiveness of operations.
AI can help filter user-defined parameters, sift through large amounts of data, extract relevant information and provide analysts with near real-time data that can be used by the operational community to validate targets. According to Reuters, the Pentagon wants to use AI tools such as Maven for a networked combat concept. The aim is to better connect platforms, sensors and data streams from the US military and key international partners in a more unified network. The contract announced on Wednesday is a five-year fixed-price contract. It is scheduled for completion on May 28, 2029.
According to a February announcement from the Kentucky National Guard, this type of AI technology is already being used by the U.S. military in the Central Command area of responsibility in the Middle East. MSS uses AI-generated algorithms to scan and identify enemy systems in the area of operations. The system brings together "data from various reconnaissance and surveillance systems to identify areas of interest", according to the Kentucky National Guard.
Videos by heise
According to Palantir CEO Alex Karp, a logical extension of Maven is the "Tactical Intelligence Targeting Access Node", or Titan for short. The company recently received an order for this from the US Army and is also working together with Anduril Industries. With the help of Titan, soldiers are to improve their ability to assess and control the battlefield through coordinated data collection. According to initial sketches, Titan is a large truck that, according to Palantir, "has access to space, altitude, air and terrestrial sensors". Overall, this should improve automated target acquisition using AI and machine learning and enable precision shooting even over long distances.
(mack)
