John Lake
MBDA has made rapid advances in its Orchestrike joint weapons artificial intelligence (AI) system over the past 12 months, announcing that its SPEAR (Selective Precision Effects At Range) weapon family will be the first missiles to feature the AI-enhanced system. But while some may worry that this is a step toward a nightmare scenario like the one seen in the Terminator movie series, this is not Skynet and the system will work in conjunction with a human operator.
The Orchestrike system enhances the performance of the SPEAR missile by using AI to improve coordination, collaboration and cooperation between missile and launcher pilots, assisting pilots in solving tactical problems in response to threats and improving both overall mission performance and missile and platform survivability.
SPEAR is a networked cruise missile developed by MBDA to engage moving targets at great distances in all weather conditions to disrupt and suppress enemy air defenses. It has all the advanced capabilities of a full-sized cruise missile, including advanced mission planning and the ability to execute complex missions at long ranges, but is smaller, allowing eight SPEAR missiles to be carried in the weapons bay of a single F-35B.
The missiles operate only with operator input, ensuring their use is always legal and ethical.
First unveiled at the 2023 Paris Air Show, the OrchestraStrike AI system has evolved from pure concept to real capability in just 12 months: AI algorithms have been refined, the datalink between the missiles has evolved, and both elements have been integrated onto the SPEAR weapon.
On display at the MBDA booth at the Farnborough International Airshow is the Orchestrike Digital Twin Simulator, which features real missile AI and hardware including a new network-enabled datalink, allowing military users to immerse themselves in unique simulated raids where missiles use Orchestrike AI capabilities to react collaboratively (and in real time) to developing and evolving tactical situations.
In the future, MBDA plans to integrate Orchestrike into other weapons with network-enabled datalink capabilities.
“Being at the forefront of AI innovation highlights that MBDA has unique technology and expertise in Europe to deliver decisive airspace missile capabilities and enable armed forces to defend our values and freedoms,” said MBDA CEO Eric Bélanger.
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