The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that Project BOYD is a Royal Air Force-led initiative focused on using artificial intelligence to accelerate and improve military command and control decision-making.
In a written parliamentary answer published on Friday, Defence Minister Luke Pollard said the project is being delivered by the RAF Rapid Capabilities Office and is structured as a series of operational capability demonstrators. Responding to a question from Conservative MP Ben Obese-Jecty, Pollard said Project BOYD is intended to address the complexity and speed of modern military planning.
He explained that the programme is designed to “harness AI to transform complex, time consuming and resource intensive command and control planning cycles through machine-speed, data-centric decision making.”
According to the minister, the aim is to generate a decision-action cycle “that is palpably better than those of our adversaries.”
The description suggests the project is focused on improving how commanders process information, assess options and generate operational decisions, rather than on autonomous weapons or automated targeting systems.
Project BOYD is intended to test and validate concepts before any wider adoption across UK forces. The Rapid Capabilities Office, which sits within the RAF, is responsible for accelerating the delivery of new technologies and operational concepts, often working with industry and academia to move emerging capabilities into service more quickly.
Is this project named after Colonel John Boyd, who developed the OODA loop decision making process?
Good idea. They need AI to get the best use of such a small fleet of aircraft.
AA