The Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has launched a 10-year “smart national defense” program that would use artificial intelligence (AI) systems and big data analytics to improve the military’s strategic capabilities.
“Smart national defense will focus on cyberwarfare and gathering intelligence over the Internet to allow us to accurately predict the enemy’s movements,” institute director Colonel Lin Gau-joe (林高洲) said.
This type of smart defense system, which allows militaries to covertly gain an advantage over their adversaries, is being used in developed nations around the world, Lin said.
Intelligent military systems are one of the segments driving the development of 5G mobile data networks and Internet of Things devices, he added.
The program would concentrate its efforts on command systems, wireless communications, electronic warfare, remote control systems and underwater technology, he said.
“What is key is the collection, amalgamation and comparison of data, and then analyzing that data in a way that helps the commander make comprehensive and accurate command decisions,” he said.
For example, an uncrewed aerial vehicle could take photographs of an enemy vessel, and the images and radar information could be analyzed by a computer to determine the threat level posed by the vessel and what appropriate countermeasures might be, Lin said.
Smart technology could be applied to logistics and driverless transportation systems, he said, adding that the technology is crucial for Taiwan, given the constant threat posed by computer attacks and China’s military.
Smart technology, if applied properly, could help the government take on these challenges by automatically countering computer attacks, as well as collecting and analyzing information on Chinese military vessels and aircraft, Lin said.
Modern warfare leaves little time for decisionmaking and a single wrong decision can lose the battle, communications research deputy director Ting An-pang (丁安邦) said.
Modern 5G systems can help a military rapidly transmit and analyze battle-related information, Ting said.
Information security systems must be frequently updated to protect sensitive military data, he said.
Information collected by the institute over the past 50 years needs to be transitioned to newer, more secure systems, he said, adding that the institute welcomes input as it embarks on its quest for a smart national defense.
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