A new UK defence trial is set to provide valuable data to develop and validate AI alogrithms for use acrossed the UK military.

For the Royal Navy, AI technologies developed through these tirals will enhance maritime surveillance, improve threat detection in complex sea environments, while enabling faster decision-making during naval operations.

The Royal Air Force (RAF) will benefit from advanced target recognition systems that can process information from multiple airborne sensors simultaneously, reducing pilot cognitive load and enabling more effective air operations in challenging conditions.

Building on previous trials – knwn as WINTERMUTE – this third iteration involved around 200 scientsts from the Defence Science Technology Laboratory (Dstl), military personnel from the Royal Navy and RAF, industry representatives and international partners collaborating at Portland Harbour to develop critical AI systems for automatic target detection and recognition.

Over a five-day period, visual infrared and band radar data was recorded from Royal Navy vessels, ground vvehicles, and both manned and unmanned aircraft, operating in mission-based scenarios.

“We can all see how AI has the potential to impact our lives and enhance our war fighting ability, and UK defence is embracing this leap forward in technology to better support our personnel on the frontline,” minister for defence procurement and industry, RT Hon Maria Eagle MP said.

“Significant trials like this, working with international and industry partners, demonstrate the rapid progress we’re making to utilise new technology for keeping Britain secure at home and strong abroad.”

The programme included participation from the US and Australia.

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“This innovative trial represents a significant advancement in how we develop and test defence technologies,” Dr Paul Hollinshead, Dstl chief executive, said.

“By bringing together multiple domains and partners, we’re not just collecting data – we’re creating the foundation for mission success and operational advantage that will protect our forces for decades to come.

“The use of these AI systems is designed to support, not replace, human decision-making in defence operations. The technology aims to reduce cognitive burden on military personnel by filtering information and providing clearer battlefield intelligence.”