AI, 5G can transform military communications – Expert

A Senior Technical Director, Global Government, iDirect, Mr Dave Davis, says integrating Artificial Intelligence (AI) and 5G into military communications can strengthen resilience and reduce cognitive burden.

Davis said this during a webinar with newsmen on Wednesday.

It was reported that iDirect is a global provider of satellite communications technology, delivering connectivity solutions and network management systems for government, defence, telecommunications and enterprise users.

Davis said 5G could enable military personnel to switch seamlessly between terrestrial and satellite networks when conventional connectivity became unavailable during operations.

He said this was particularly important in high tempo environments where personnel needed to process information and make critical decisions without being distracted by complex communication systems.

“One of the real benefits of 5G is that it provides a common protocol across different platforms, allowing users to move seamlessly between terrestrial and satellite networks,” Davis said.

He said integrating AI into communications could automate decisions on the most appropriate connectivity option based on prevailing operational conditions.

He explained that the technology could automatically switch between networks, frequencies and satellite orbits, while allowing military personnel to retain control over the level of automation.

According to him, the military refers to the approach as PACE, representing Primary, Alternate, Contingency and Emergency communications.

Davis added that combining AI with 5G could automate movement between these communication options, reducing the need for personnel to manually manage complex connectivity systems.

He described the capability as “auto PACE”, adding that this made automatically switching between different frequencies, satellite orbits and communication environments possible.

“This means the system can automatically move between different communication options while maintaining connectivity, allowing the end user to focus on the operational situation,” he said.

Davis said the approach could strengthen military resilience by maintaining communications when individual networks or connectivity options are disrupted.

He noted that the combination of AI, 5G and satellite communications could create adaptive systems capable of responding to changing battlefield conditions.

According to him, the technology will allow personnel to focus more on intelligence, command and operational decisions rather than managing complex communication systems.