INNOVATIVE AI-ENHANCED, REMOTELY POWERED, INDIRECT FIRE OBSERVATION SYSTEM UTILIZING UNMANNED VEHICLES

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"Indirect fire support is a crucial component of modern military operations, primarily involving the use of artillery, mortars, rockets, and other indirect fire weapons to engage and neutralize enemy targets that are not within the direct line of sight of the firing unit. Unlike direct fire, where weapons are aimed directly at visible targets, indirect fire relies on the projection of projectiles on a trajectory that allows them to reach targets that may be beyond the observer's line of sight or hidden behind obstacles, such as hills, buildings, or forests. Indirect fire support is typically used to strike at distant or concealed enemy positions, fortifications, and areas of strategic importance, making it a fundamental element of combined arms warfare. Indirect fire support observation is the critical process of acquiring, relaying, and utilizing information about enemy targets and the effectiveness of indirect fire support on those targets. Indirect fire support observation is usually conducted by human observers on the ground, known as forward observers. These observers serve as the ""eyes and ears"" of the artillery units, ensuring that fires are delivered accurately and effectively while also contributing valuable information for overall battlefield management and decision-making. Yet, there are several potential disadvantages to having a physical person acting as observer for indirect firing, including vulnerability, communication, limited field of view and cost. Overall, while observers can provide valuable information to artillery units, their use also comes with significant risks and limitations. VICTORIOUS proposes a Next Generation UxV-enabled observation system, having as its main scope the artillery/indirect fire support. The ultimate goal of VICTORIOUS is to be a useful tool, which will allow defence stakeholders to locate and be informed in a timely manner of the exact location and nature of events occurring in the battlefield, by using disruptive technologies. The main objectives of VICTORIOUS project include: • To design a disruptive Next Generation Indirect fire observation system, enhanced by innovative AI, UAVs, UGV, Sensors, Wireless Power and data transfer technological solutions, based on the existing military operations processes and procedures, enhancing the capabilities and effectiveness of fire support military tactical operations. • To investigate and design disruptive means of wireless Power & Data Transfer • To engage blockchain technologies in Fire Support Operations • To design innovative AI tools and algorithms to support Indirect Fire Observation operations • To employ various sensors and automations for target acquisition • To employ UxVs and supporting devices for Indirect Fire Observation operations • To provide an integrated fire support observation system and to verify it under realistic scenarios. VICTORIOUS is an innovative system which proposes a combination of radical technological breakthroughs for addressing the crucial aspect of firing observation. These technologies include: • Unmanned Vehicles deployed on the battlefield, for improved situational awareness using cooperative perception and AI • Wireless power transfer from ground to UAVs for 24/7 operational capability • Wireless non-intercepted data communication between ground and UAVs • AI algorithms for threat detection, identification, classification and acquisition on the EDGE • Block Chain technologies for creating a security bubble for VICTORIOUS assets • Training of the observers based on innovative learning technologies • Innovative UI design including the whole subsystems integration & API in order to connect to existing systems."