US Army Awards $98.9M Contract for AI to Transform Battlefield Operations : WSJ

By Staff, Agencies

The US Army has signed a $98.9 million deal with San Francisco-based startup TurbineOne to bring artificial intelligence directly to soldiers on the battlefield, the Wall Street Journal reports.

The move marks a significant shift from relying on remote analysis centers to providing frontline troops with rapid, independent threat detection and decision-making tools.

Modern warfare now unfolds at unprecedented speed, with skies, waters, and land “teeming with drones,” while signal jamming increasingly disrupts communications. Soldiers must analyze massive amounts of data and act in seconds, often under communication blackouts.

TurbineOne’s software aims to solve this problem by running directly on laptops, smartphones, and drones without needing cloud connectivity.

This “on-device” AI allows troops to identify threats—from drone launch sites to hidden armored units—instantly and make tactical decisions without waiting for remote input.

The system processes diverse data streams, including infrared imagery, radar, and radio signals, and responds to both general queries (like detecting any aerial drone) and highly specific searches (such as identifying tank models with particular weapons).

It continuously updates risk assessments and coordinates with AI-powered weapons, giving soldiers real-time situational awareness and operational flexibility.

Military analysts say the contract underscores a growing push to integrate AI into every layer of combat, reshaping how wars are fought amid rising technological complexity and battlefield unpredictability.