Hampshire coast the scene for large-scale maritime AI data capture trial

A large-scale maritime and beach-landing exercise involving 130 personnel and 13 vessels has taken place on the Hampshire coast, which was aimed at capturing artificial intelligence (AI) data.

Information from the five-day trial, which also involved multiple uncrewed air vehicles and over 50 cameras and sensors, will be used to help develop the latest AI products for the Ministry of Defence.

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Whitehall says investing in AI is paramount to the continued modernisation of the armed forces and the trial, which was a collaboration with 12 industry and international partners, comes as the UK government hosts an AI safety summit.

Minister for defence procurement James Cartlidge said: "Investing in new technology provides our Armed Forces with the tools they need to stay ahead of emerging threats and ensures our national security in an ever-evolving technological landscape.

"Innovative, data driven exercises like this demonstrate how AI can enhance our military capabilities, enabling us to respond more efficiently to the threats of today and tomorrow."

Charlie Maslen, Ministry of Defence, Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl) trial technical authority, added: "This was an ambitious and challenging trial which builds on the experience and expertise gained during the previous land-based exercise.

"Conducting a trial with sensors spanning three domains – land, sea and air – involving 12 separate industry partners was immensely complex. Added to which we were hampered on 2 days by 40 knot winds.

"Data generated by the trial will enable MOD and industry partners to develop new AI products for Defence, helping keep UK forces safe and delivering operational advantage.

"Being able to guarantee the integrity of the data underlines MOD’s commitment to the ethical, safe and responsible use of AI."

The landings in the trial saw personnel boarding and leaving vehicles in different ways to generate data showing different behavioural traits.

For example, in one scenario, synchronised landings saw participants acting as a trained team such as a military unit.

In another, participants exited the boats in a deliberately chaotic way, to provide a wider data sample.

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