The UK arm of defence and security company Leonardo has formed a partnership with Faculty AI, one of the country’s leading independent Artificial Intelligence (AI) companies. The companies will pool their expertise to bring AI-driven defence capabilities, such as Cognitive Intelligent Sensing (CoInS) and Electronic Warfare (EW), out of the lab and into the hands of the armed forces more rapidly.
CoInS technology incorporates AI and machine learning (ML) algorithms to process and analyse real-time data. Cognitive sensing systems are used in countless applications such as industrial robotics, brain-computer interface (BCI) and human-computer interaction (HCI).
The first joint projects will focus on the application of AI into CoInS and the technology will allow sensors to self-orientate themselves without the need for humans to operate them remotely. This investment is part of the company’s strategic roadmap for AI in Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) research and development, which will see the technology embedded into a number of products and services.
Leonardo and Faculty AI will also be looking at how AI can boost the capabilities of electronic warfare payloads and countermeasures for combat aircraft, building on the international market success of Leonardo’s BriteCloud decoy and BriteStorm jamming system.
The tie-up with Faculty AI is the first under Leonardo’s UK-based SME Collaboration Partner Programme, which was launched in March alongside commercialisation specialists Form1 Partners. The programme aims to address the long-standing problem in the defence industry whereby small and medium-sized companies find it challenging to translate innovation into market success. Under the SME Collaboration Partner Programme, a dedicated Leonardo-Form1 team is looking to work with a range of SME partners around the UK to bring collaborative products and services to market.
Leonardo has previously contracted Faculty AI to support specific research projects in autonomy and electronic warfare. By deepening the relationship, to include joint product development and customer engagement, the companies expect to be able to accelerate the pace at which AI can be applied to defence requirements. The underlying focus will be on practical outcomes, using AI to improve the performance and time-to-market of new products and services.
Leonardo will also deploy Faculty AI’s technology and expertise to improve its own processes and operations at its nine UK sites. It will sponsor multiple ‘Faculty Fellowships’, short-term industry placements for graduating PhD and MSc students. These will deliver impactful AI-based projects within Leonardo programmes, backed by support and training from Faculty AI’s team of experts.
Professor Simon Harwood, Capability Director, Leonardo UK, said: “Our goal is to move beyond a transactional prime-supplier relationship. We’ll be looking for opportunities where Leonardo’s expertise in defence electronics sensors and integration, military rotorcraft and cyber security can incorporate the AI expertise of Faculty to deliver something of tangible benefit to our customers.”
Marc Warner, CEO, Faculty AI, said: “We’ve used AI to solve frontline problems for a decade and are world-leading experts in this field. AI is already reshaping defence – enabling faster, more accurate decision-making, improved threat detection and greater operational efficiency. This collaboration underscores our mission to deliver AI to enhance national security while ensuring it is deployed safely and ethically.”
