By Muhammad Usama Khalid
Emerging disruptive technologies are making far-reaching changes and modifications in defence affairs. These technologies are likely to bring a radical change and a major transition in military strategy.
Disruptive technology comprises data, Artificial Intelligence, Autonomy, Space Technologies, Hypersonic Systems etc. These technologies are being developed for military purposes mainly by the US, Russia, China, and other countries. This suggests the possibility of a global arms race with uncertain consequences. More countries are also making strides in the field of AI worldwide.
This development is widely and progressively prevailing in a broader South Asia region. China has launched advanced Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) such as Sea Eagle and Soaring Dragon with medium to high altitude endurance. Another Chinese achievement in the field of AI-integrated weapons is the development of “Sea Whale 2000” which is an Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) that has the capacity to work 2000 meters underwater for 40 days with long endurance missions.
In India, the debate to expand the relevance of AI from the experimental to the operational stage commenced in 2019 by the Defence AI Council (DAIC). For this purpose, India established a special task force to explore various pathways towards becoming an AI power in South Asia. The task force comprises representatives from the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC), the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) as well as the National Cyber Security Advisor (NCSA), and other academic and research institutions.
DRDO and Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (CAIR) also undertook projects with knowledge-based and combined electronic warfare systems which focus on multi-agent robotics, creating AI algorithms for Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) – is a method used for autonomous vehicles that lets you build a map and localise your vehicle in that map at the same time – , drone swarms and decision support systems, together with data mining and Intelligence, Surveillance, And Reconnaissance (ISR) robots. The Indian Government is joining other states to trade AI technology and LAWs. Israel, for instance, is extensively supplying UAVs to the Indian armed forces. The Indian military is deliberately attempting to use AI-augmented technology in its defence strategy, aiming to prepare Pakistan for mechanised warfare within the next five years.
In Pakistan, the military’s use of AI is relatively limited. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has introduced tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) and “Maritime Patrol Aircraft” to improve the ISR capabilities of the Fleet. Pakistan has also upgraded the previously made military armed drone namely, “Burraq” integrated with “Selex Galileo Technology” in 2019 which has the capability to eliminate targets from a height of 15,000 feet.
In 2018, the Pakistani government successfully established the National Centre of Artificial Intelligence (NCAI), which focuses on scientific research and AI training. The NCAI aims to take the lead in AI development, as well as foster its integration into PAF operations. Primarily, focus on advancing sensor fusion technology which involves merging data from various resources for instance, radars, lidars and cameras to create a unified model. Having nine research labs in different universities emphasises to disentangle AI algorithmic problems. Another research faculty in Pakistan namely ‘Sino Pak Centre for AI’ is promoting Research and Development (R&D) with separate labs including deep learning, intelligent system designs, computer vision, robotics and applied neural interface.
The Centre of Artificial Intelligence and Computing (CENTIAC) established in 2020, aims at exploring several domains like big data, machine learning, deep learning, predictive analysis and natural language processing (NLP). The development and progress will have an impact on fifth-generation stealth aircrafts, Medium-Altitude Long Endurance (MALE), UAVs and other advanced weaponry under Pakistan’s Project Azm. Project Azm is the collaborative effort of Pakistan and Turkey for developing Fifth Generation Fighter Aircrafts (FGFAs) that will be equipped with AI powered Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs) technology. This technology will bring a revolutionary change in the existing aerial combating strategy as well as if acquired will provide Pakistan with strategic advantage over India in the region.
Pakistan, being a developing country offers opportunities for exploring and innovating in the field of AI to make it a rapidly increasing sector for the country. Several leading universities have initiated AI Research hubs like the NUST’s National Centre of Robotics and Automation (NCRA) which will provide researchers and scientists a designated space to technologically promote Pakistan. The University of Engineering and Technology (UET) Centre of Intelligent Systems and Networks Research (CISNR) in Peshawar, the NUST National Centre of AI (NCAI) in Islamabad, the UET AI Research Lab in Lahore, and the AI Lab at IBA in Karachi are few leading universities that are providing platform for Youth interested in understanding AI.
Substantially, numerous states have demonstrated keen interest in AI, spanning from advancing their research and development sector to significant investments, all the way to enhancing their corporate structures, economies, and national security strategies. The rise of AI has undeniably posed a substantial challenge to the global arms control framework. Nowhere is this challenge more pronounced than in the most hostile Asian region, where countries like China and India are vigorously modernising their armed forces. Both nations are committing significant resources to the integration of AI technologies within their military operations, further complicating the setting of international arms control as well as destabilising the strategic stability of the broader South Asian region.
Author: Muhammad Usama Khalid – Research Assistant at Balochistan Think Tank Network (BTTN), Quetta
(The opinions expressed in this article belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of World Geostrategic Insights).
Image Source: Modern War Institute