Charlie Phelps
In the dead of night, deep behind enemy lines, a US Army Special Forces team prepared for a mission that could turn the tide of conflict: neutralize an enemy command post orchestrating a series of destructive missile strikes on coalition forces. The landscape was a labyrinth of obstacles—rough terrain, dense vegetation, and a well-entrenched adversary. Yet, the team was armed with more than just weapons. Two scouts from a local resistance organization guided their patrol. The scouts’ first encounter with Green Berets was ten years ago during a peacetime training exchange. The team also wielded a powerful asset: an AI-driven data system providing real-time intelligence from an array of sources—satellites, drones, and cyber channels automated to offer protection to the small patrol. As they navigated the hostile terrain, their wrist displays flickered with crucial updates. The AI had pinpointed an approaching enemy patrol, undetected by traditional sensors operating independently of one another. With a few taps, the team leader accessed a dynamic map showing the patrol’s precise location and movement pattern. Adjusting their approach, the soldiers avoided detection and pressed on toward their target. Upon reaching the objective, the team broadcasted a piece of malware that disrupted the command post’s electromagnetic spectrum masking, allowing for target designation by low earth orbit assets. Moments later, a pinpointed ground-based hypersonic missile, guided by AI-processed data, obliterated the command post. The mission’s success was a testament not only to the operators’ skill but also to their technology-enabled mastery of data and employment of AI-enabled systems.
This scenario highlights a crucial reality of contemporary warfare: data and artificial intelligence are not merely supplementary tools but essential elements for achieving success in large-scale combat operations and multidomain operations. The US Army’s Field Manual 3-0 underscores the importance of integrating data and AI across multiple domains—land, air, sea, cyber, and space—to secure victory. Data literacy has emerged as a fundamental competency for Army leaders, enabling them to leverage these advancements effectively and stay ahead in the complex and dynamic operational environments of modern warfare.
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