AI Integration Strengthens Decision-Making in Air Defense

Northrop Grumman Corporation has added a new artificial intelligence (AI) feature to the Forward Area Air Defense (FAAD) Advanced Battle Manager (ABM) system. This enhancement aims to assist warfighters in making informed decisions in real-time while addressing the complexity of threats in the counter-unmanned aerial systems (C-UAS) mission space.

The new AI feature is designed to streamline decision-making for the defeat of unmanned aerial system (UAS) swarms, enabling users to execute actions with a single button click on a mobile tablet. This capability enhances operational flexibility for the U.S. military and its allies.

The ABM system has been tested at the Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona, demonstrating its ability to create real-time weapon-target pairings across both kinetic and non-kinetic weapons by utilizing AI and historical live fire data. It is capable of planning for complex aerial swarm scenarios involving multiple weapons and varying threats. The system supports real-time data processing, generating engagement plans in under a quarter of a second while continuously monitoring the battlespace.

FAAD integrates short-range air defense, counter-rocket, artillery, and mortar, and C-UAS missions, providing a unified command and control framework. Its open architecture design allows for the future integration of additional weapon systems.

FAAD operates as a cyber-certified, real-time safety-critical command and control software, delivering a single integrated air picture, airspace coordination, and fire control for multi-domain missions. This system can be rapidly deployed to provide command and control in environments with limited communication infrastructure.

Northrop Grumman continues to focus on enhancing defense capabilities through the integration of advanced technologies such as AI, ensuring that the FAAD system meets the evolving needs of military operations.