Decide faster, act smarter: Why AI is reshaping military intelligence

By Henrik Sommer, Director and former Brigadier General, Systematic

In today’s defence landscape, speed wins.

After more than 40 years in uniform - from Cold War command to deployments in Kosovo, Iraq, and Afghanistan - I have seen how decisive action can shape outcomes. But in modern operations, the challenge is not just about making decisions.  It is about making the right decisions faster than ever before.

The volume of data generated across domains, units, and coalitions is staggering. And while data is the lifeblood of command-and-control (C2), it is only useful if it can be turned into insight - instantly.

That’s where Artificial Intelligence (AI) becomes not just valuable, but vital.

AI: From concept to combat capability

Artificial Intelligence has evolved from theoretical promise to practical battlefield utility. Once viewed as a futuristic concept, it now plays a critical role in defence operations. AI enables machines to replicate key aspects of human cognition - learning from data, recognising patterns, and delivering real-time decision support.

In today’s operating environment, this translates into faster threat detection, smarter resource deployment, and enhanced situational awareness across all domains.

As outlined in NATO’s AI Strategy:
“AI is a strategic technology… escalating the speed and complexity of threats we face.”

SitaWare Insight: Intelligence at machine speed

At Systematic, we have developed SitaWare Insight to meet the demands of modern warfare. It is designed to support intelligence staff procedures with big-data storage, processing, analysis, and dissemination, delivering a decisive edge in time-critical scenarios by ensuring not only awareness of the adversary but also a deep understanding of your own units and situation.

Here is how SitaWare Insight transforms operations:

• AI-powered analysis for rapid pattern recognition and environmental understanding

• Integrated intelligence sharing across all command levels, even in contested and degraded environments

• Federated search and data fabric for seamless access to all intelligence types

• Recognised Intelligence Picture (RIP) dissemination across networks

• NATO FMN compliance for coalition interoperability

• Open, cloud-native architecture for scalability and security

• Support for custom and third-party AI models for mission-specific flexibility

Precision-led operations, powered by AI

SitaWare Insight does not just process data - it turns it into action. By managing the full intelligence cycle and delivering up-to-the-minute insights, it empowers commanders to act with clarity and confidence.

Whether you are operating in a joint task force, navigating multi-domain complexity, or responding to emerging threats, SitaWare Insight ensures your decisions are informed, fast, and future ready. We have taken the famous SitaWare Headquarters C2 tool and made it even better by adding SitaWare Insight’s datacentric capabilities meeting the operational challenges of today.

Why AI matters now more than ever

The resurgence of peer and near-peer threats has changed the game. Defence forces must now operate in environments with a vast variety of challenges, where the margin for error is razor-thin, and the speed of response is everything.

AI is no longer optional. It is the key to maintaining operational superiority in a data-driven world, both before and during large-scale combat operations. However, you must fully understand how AI is best utilised in the military world to unleash the full potential of this technology.

At Systematic, we’re not just building technology. We’re enabling smarter, faster, and more resilient defence operations - because in today’s battlespace during hybrid warfare to armed conflict, the ability to decide faster than your adversary is not just an advantage. It’s the difference between mission success and failure.