5th Fleet sets up task force to integrate AI and unmanned assets

US Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) announced on 9 September that it has established a new task force to rapidly integrate unmanned systems and artificial intelligence (AI) with maritime operations in the 5th Fleet area of operations.

NAVCENT Commander Vice Admiral Brad Cooper appointed Captain Michael Brasseur, an expert in maritime robotics, as the first commodore of Task Force 59 during a ceremony at the force's headquarters in Bahrain.

“The bottom line on why we're doing this is so that we can develop and integrate unmanned systems and AI as a means to do two things: one, enhance our maritime domain awareness and two, increase deterrence,” Vice Adm Cooper said.

Task Force 59 has directors for unmanned systems; unmanned exercises; task force integration; cyber, AI, and space; and partnership opportunities.

NAVCENT added that the multinational International Maritime Exercise (IMX) 22 scheduled for next year will provide an opportunity to demonstrate the resilience and scalability of human-machine teaming technologies.