AUKUS conducts trials for advanced AI-controlled robotic vehicles

Asia-Pacific, Europe, News, US February 7, 2024 , by IRIA No Comments

A team of scientists from Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States conducted successful trials for the integration of advanced autonomy and artificial intelligence (AI) in robotic vehicles for military operations.

The Trusted Operation of Robotic Vehicles in a Contested Environment (TORVICE) trial was conducted in the fall of 2023 at Cultana Training Area, South Australia. However, it was not until February 6, 2024, that the AUKUS countries announced its success. The trial was conducted to identify and resolve vulnerabilities faced by autonomous systems in a contested electronic warfare environment.

During the trials, robotic ground vehicles from the U.S. and the UK were used to represent autonomous multi-domain launchers and uncrewed ground vehicles. The robotic vehicles were tasked to conduct long-range precision fires and other associated missions. The vehicles carried no weapons during the trial, a statement released by the Australian Defense Ministry said.

According to the U.S. Department of Defense, TORVICE is part of the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia’s commitment to the AUKUS Advanced Capabilities Pillar, known as Pillar II, under the Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy Working Group.

The trial is part of an ongoing series pursuing a trilateral program of work on a range of leading-edge technologies and capabilities to promote security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region, the Pentagon statement stated.

Dr. Kimberly Sablon, the U.S. Department of Defense’s Principal Director for Trusted Artificial Intelligence and Autonomy, said “The TORVICE project builds upon the work the AUKUS partners demonstrated in Salisbury in April. During this exercise, we performed rigorous red teaming of our autonomous/AI systems to assess and mitigate vulnerabilities and to improve their resilience in contested and complex environments.”

AUKUS Trusted Operation of Robotic Vehicles in a Contested Environment (TORVICE) trial — *^{Personnel discuss the next steps during a Trusted Operation of Robotic Vehicles in a Contested Environment (TORVICE) trial. (Image Credit: UK Defence Science and Technology Laboratory)}*

The U.S. and its AUKUS partner states have increased their attention to AI-driven defense technologies. In 2023, AUKUS partners also conducted trials for AI-enabled combat drones and developed an AI system to track submarines in the Indo-Pacific region.

In December, Australian Defense Minister Richard Marles and his U.S. and UK counterparts committed to advance work to adopt resilient and autonomous AI technologies (RAAIT) in land and maritime domains in 2024.

The U.S. Department of Defense’s fiscal 2024 budget blueprint shows a $1.8 billion budget for AI. Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks described AI as a “key technology” area. The department cataloged at least 685 ongoing AI projects as of early 2021, including several tied to major weapons systems.

The AUKUS alliance is largely known for the submarine program in which the U.S. and the UK would help Australia acquire and operate nuclear-powered submarines. In a broader context, however, the program has more extensive implications, mainly focusing on integrating AI and modern technologies in defense production.

AUKUS’s Advanced Capabilities Pillar made substantial progress in the last few months and attained attention from other Western allies along the way. In December 2023, the Canadian government expressed interest in deepening the non-nuclear cooperation with the AUKUS countries.

^{Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese (L), U.S. President Joe Biden (C), and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Rishi Sunak meet in San Diego, California on March 13, 2023, for the AUKUS meeting. (Image Credit: Twitter/@AlboMP)}

Canada’s Defense Minister Anita Anand said “Canada is highly interested in furthering cooperation on AI, quantum computing, and other advanced technologies with a defense nexus with our closest allies.”

This was the first time that a high-level Canadian official had expressed interest in being a part of the AUKUS alliance. Canada and New Zealand’s exclusion from the initial AUKUS defense pact was considered a snub by many observers as the two countries already have an established intelligence-sharing network with the AUKUS allies.