The army has implemented a decision support system using modern data processing technologies.
The commanders of military districts and combined arms armies will be able to make decisions many times faster in a combat situation. A unique system with elements of artificial intelligence and Big Data technologies will analyze the situation and offer them a choice of several options for action. The military leader will also see a forecast of the development of events and brief recommendations. The official name of the novelty is "information system of combat control", the Ministry of Defense told Izvestia. Since last year, it has been tested in the troops, and now it has begun to work as usual.
ACS in the troops
According to the combat manuals, the commander must make a decision on the battle, taking into account dozens of factors: the number of his own forces and means, intelligence about the enemy, the condition of the roads, weather conditions, the amount of ammunition, fuel and lubricants and material and technical means, the moral and psychological state of the personnel and much more. … All these data, expressed in specific indicators, are calculated according to special algorithms, after which a combat order is drawn up: how many forces to send to such and such a direction, at what targets and areas and how much ammunition to fire artillery, where to locate reserves, how to organize the supply provisions, evacuation of the wounded and damaged equipment, etc.
The combat control information system collects data from all services, processes them and generates decisions in a matter of seconds. The various scenarios presented to the commander are ranked, starting with the most potentially successful. According to several sources of Izvestia in the military department, the system uses elements of artificial intelligence and Big Data technology. It allows you to significantly, by an order of magnitude, reduce the time that the commander spends on making a decision, as well as increase its accuracy, the editor-in-chief of the magazine Arsenal Otechestva Viktor Murakhovsky told Izvestia.
“In fact, this is one of the elements of an automated control system (ACS), a special software package that can be used at all levels: from tactical to strategic,” the expert noted. - Its main task is to automate operational-tactical calculations, to solve information and communication tasks. Previously, data was collected and analyzed almost by hand: Chiefs of staff and operational officers took information from subordinate units and summarized it. Of course, they counted in much smaller volumes, took into account significantly fewer parameters, it took several times longer. The new algorithm is capable of providing all types of combat, including the conduct of a combined-arms operation using various types of troops and types of weapons.
The software complex calculates the situation taking into account the specific conditions of the situation and offers options for solving the battle to the commander. Depending on the priorities that are set, he ranks the options for solving combat missions according to a variety of parameters. For example, it can prioritize the execution time of a combat mission, forecast losses or resource consumption. Also, with the help of artificial intelligence, the possibilities of completing tasks for occupying certain areas and boundaries are assessed. The accuracy of the system depends on the initial data and prescribed algorithms, which are now constantly being improved, added Victor Murakhovsky.
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In real time
In the military sphere, artificial intelligence technologies and Big Data can be used with great efficiency, thereby saving the lives of hundreds of servicemen, Denis Kuskov, general director of the analytical company Telecom Daily, told Izvestia.
“Big Data technology makes it possible to transfer almost unlimited amounts of data, including video, text and graphic information,” the expert commented. - In battle, these data will come from military personnel, equipment, various reconnaissance means, including unmanned aerial vehicles. All this will happen in real time. With the help of an artificial intelligence system, information will be instantly processed, summarized and analyzed. This will undoubtedly help the commander understand and decide how best to use troops and resources.
Earlier, Izvestia reported that the Ministry of Defense was beginning to form a unique automated command and control system, Akatsia-M. By the end of this year, it will appear in every combined arms army. The military department has already allocated more than 21 billion rubles for their purchase. The system provides online the army commander and his headquarters with information about the combat situation, including the state of his troops and the actions of the enemy. On the basis of these data, the commander through "Akatsia" will be able to directly give orders to subordinate troops.
"Akatsia-M" interacts with automated control systems of other types and arms of the troops. Thanks to this, the commander and headquarters of the army will be able to manage the groupings of military personnel without any problems, which include units and formations of the Navy, the Aerospace Forces and the Airborne Forces. Also "Akatsiya-M" in real time exchanges information with the National Center for Defense Management.