BAE Systems harnesses artificial intelligence for air operations planning
The AI-enabled mission planning solution will provide an interactive user interface that enables tactitians to explore and access plausible 'futures' in a dynamic environment. (Image: BAE Systems FAST Labs)
BAE Systems has been award a contract by the United States Air Force to develop an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven tool for air operations mission planning in contested environments.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded BAE Systems a $17 million contract to introduce artificial intelligence (AI) into an interactive game environment to support air operations planning in contested environments as part of the Fight Tonight programme.
Under the Technical Area 2, Plan Gaming and Outcome Analysis contract, BAE Systems’ FAST Labs R&D unit, alongside subcontractors Uncharted Software and Kestrel Institute, will develop a solution to rapidly generate and review multiple operational plans and select the most robust.
‘This technology is about using AI to provide commanders with more options faster and with more details,’ said Mike Miller, technical director for FAST Labs. ‘The drag-and-drop video game-like interactions would reduce the time it takes to make a series of incremental adjustments to a plan from hours to minutes.’
The proposed solution will provide an interactive user interface that enables planners to explore and access plausible ‘futures’ in a dynamic environment. These processes will be supplemented by tools that generate and assess the feasibility of more plans than possible without the aid of technology.
More from Air Warfare
-
![North American appetite for European AEW&C aircraft bolstered as Canada picks GlobalEye]()
North American appetite for European AEW&C aircraft bolstered as Canada picks GlobalEye
Canada’s selection of Saab’s GlobalEye to fulfil its airborne early warning requirements draws the country closer to European industry over American-made platforms, snubbing Boeing and L3Harris.
-
![Hezbollah’s fibre-optic drones expose Israel’s counter-UAV gap in southern Lebanon]()
Hezbollah’s fibre-optic drones expose Israel’s counter-UAV gap in southern Lebanon
Israel is working to close a counter-drone capability gap exposed by Hezbollah's fibre-optic systems, drawing on battlefield lessons from Ukraine to replace improvised defences with targeted solutions.
-
![NATO countries test Canadian-made, high-speed “cannibal” drone]()
NATO countries test Canadian-made, high-speed “cannibal” drone
INKAS Anuri CUAS drone has been built to engage consumer, commercial and modified first-person view enemy drones flying at speeds of up to 400 km/h.
-
![May drone digest: American loitering munition spending continues to drive market growth]()
May drone digest: American loitering munition spending continues to drive market growth
Loitering munition procurement has accelerated throughout May 2026 as militaries continue to prioritise the capability. The US has led this activity by advancing swarm-drone concepts, downselecting more drones for the Army’s LASSO programme, and awarding procurement contracts for various systems.
