The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) awarded Alabama-based Dynetics Phase 1 of the Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program.
Known as ACE TA3, or Alpha Mosaic, the award is valued at $12.3 million, according to a release from Dynetics.
The ACE program seeks to infuse artificial intelligence (AI) into high-intensity air conflicts. The company says, similarly to military training for fighter pilots, ACE performers will work to increase trust in automated, within-visual-range, air-to-air dogfighting.
The Phase 1 award should last 18 months and will lay groundwork for future live, campaign-level experimentation of manned and unmanned vehicles.
“The ACE program is inspiring on so many levels,” said Tim Keeter, ACE program manager for Dynetics. “Our team brings novel solutions that have proven to be feasible and scalable to these challenging ACE objectives. These efforts will help DARPA and the U.S. military expand their advantage in the evolution of Mosaic warfare.”
DARPA‘s stated mission is “to make pivotal investments in breakthrough technologies for national security” with the organization being “the initiator and not the victim of strategic technological surprises.”
DARPA touts itself as having been at the forefront of developing military technologies such as precision weapons and stealth technology, as well as civilian technologies which include automated voice recognition and language translation, and Global Positioning System receivers useable in consumer devices.
The program consists of three phases: Phase 1 begins research in a simulated environment, Phase 2 advances to a flight environment using unmanned air vehicles, and Phase 3 includes a realistic, manned-flight environment involving complex human-machine collaboration.
“Our entry into Phase 1 of ACE represents years of relevant research within Dynetics and our team members that position us to do great things for our country,” said Kevin Albarado, Dynetics’ chief engineer. “Our scientists and engineers are eager to continue advancing these state-of-the-art AI applications to help our warfighters defend our nation.”
Dynetics, based in Huntsville, has more than 2,500 employees and provides responsive, cost-effective engineering, scientific, IT solutions to the national security, cybersecurity, space, and critical infrastructure sectors.
Tim Howe is an owner of Yellowhammer Multimedia
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