Pentagon Developing AI to Track N.Korean Missiles

The U.S. Defense Department is developing an AI program that can anticipate, detect and track launches of North Korea's and other countries' nuclear-tipped missiles, Reuters reported Tuesday.

The Pentagon is testing an early-type AI-driven tracking system with the purpose of finding easy-to-hide mobile missile launchers. The project also "includes a pilot project focused on North Korea," it said quoting officials.

U.S. analysts rely on information collected from reconnaissance satellites that are capable of identifying an object 5 cm in diameter on the ground from the altitude of hundreds of kilometers above the planet.

But they often fail to detect signs of missile launches in advance if the North Korean regime got a head start by launching missiles from mobile launchers that can be swiftly moved while the satellites are on the other side of the globe.

"If the research is successful, such computer systems would be able to think for themselves, scouring huge amounts of data, including satellite imagery, with a speed and accuracy beyond the capability of humans, to look for signs of preparations for a missile launch," Reuters said.

That will buy valuable time to destroy enemy missiles in advance or intercept them after they are launched.

"Budget documents... noted plans to expand the focus of the mobile missile launcher program to 'the remainder of the (Pentagon) 4+1 problem sets.' The Pentagon typically uses the 4+1 terminology to refer to China, Russia, Iran, North Korea and terrorist groups," it added.

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