AI systems tested across domains in UK’s largest defense trial
NewsMay 27, 2025
PORTLAND HARBOUR, England. The UK Ministry of Defence conducted its largest multi-domain artificial intelligence (AI) trial to date, testing AI capabilities across land, sea, and air platforms, the agency announced in a statement.
The five-day trial involved approximately 200 personnel from the Defence Science and Technology Laboratory (Dstl), Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, and international and industry partners. Data was collected from Royal Navy ships, ground vehicles, and both crewed and uncrewed aircraft during mission-based scenarios to support the development of AI systems for automatic target detection and recognition, the statement reads.
The AI technologies under evaluation are intended to assist in maritime surveillance and threat detection for naval operations, while also supporting the Royal Air Force with airborne multi-sensor fusion for improved target recognition and reduced pilot workload, according to the statement.
The trial, which follows earlier efforts under the WINTERMUTE program, aims to develop AI systems that augment human decision-making by filtering information and improving situational awareness. Participating nations included the United States and Australia.
