Air Force putting AI-based model for battle management decisions through its paces
The U.S. Air Force has developed the Transformational Model for Decision Advantage, a framework that breaks down command and control (C2) into 52 subfunctions to better understand and improve how warfighters make decisions. Created in 2022, the model underpins Air Force experiments aimed at integrating artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into battle management, particularly through exercises like the DASH wargames. By dissecting decision-making into specific, repeatable steps, the model helps identify where AI can enhance speed and accuracy, ultimately supporting the development of the Department of the Air Force’s Battle Network — a system-of-systems designed to enable the Defense Department’s CJADC2 vision of connecting sensors and weapons across domains and allies. Current experiments focus on 13 battle management subfunctions, such as target selection and weapon matching, with the goal of building AI microservices that handle computational tasks while humans focus on moral and creative decision-making. Beyond Air Force use, the model is being shared with other services, allies, and industry partners, providing a common framework for developing tools that reduce cognitive load and accelerate modernization of C2 operations.