NATO Tests AI-Assisted Targeting Systems to Improve Allied Military Coordination
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is testing advanced targeting systems and artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted decision-making tools to improve coordination, information-sharing and operational efficiency among Allied forces.
The initiative, known as Next Generation Targeting (NGT), is being advanced by NATO Allied Command Transformation (ACT) to address one of the key challenges in modern warfare: ensuring that accurate and timely intelligence reaches commanders across different operational domains and Allied nations.
During the Digital Backbone eXperimentation (DiBaX26) event in Latvia, NATO personnel are testing the exchange of targeting information across different domains and command-and-control systems used by Allied forces.
The exercise is designed to assess how these systems can share information more effectively, helping military operators process intelligence and make decisions more quickly while reducing operational workloads.
According to NATO, the exercise involves operators from Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE), NATO Joint Force Commands and 11 Allied nations. The trials include more than 6,000 simulated targets and over 100 live targets, allowing participants to assess how information moves between systems and command levels.
A key feature of the initiative is the use of AI to help operators manage large volumes of battlefield data, identify and track potential targets, and prioritise information for decision-makers. However, NATO has emphasised that human personnel retain control over engagement decisions, with commanders responsible for ensuring compliance with applicable rules and legal requirements.
The NGT initiative is being tested alongside the Layered Counter-UAS Initiative (LCI-X), which focuses on integrating technologies used to detect, track and counter uncrewed aircraft systems.
While LCI-X examines how sensors, command-and-control systems and defensive capabilities can work together against drone threats, NGT explores how information from multiple sources can be exchanged and used to support faster decisions. Both initiatives rely on DiBaX26 to test interoperability under realistic operational conditions.
NATO Allied Command Transformation said the results will help identify technical gaps, improve data-sharing standards and inform the development of future Allied capabilities.
The experimentation forms part of NATO’s wider ambition to strengthen its Multi-Domain Operations posture by 2030, enabling Allied forces to coordinate activities across land, sea, air, space and cyberspace.
The trials are intended to provide evidence for future capability development; successful experimentation does not automatically mean the systems are ready for operational deployment.
NATO Tests AI-Assisted Targeting Systems to Improve Allied Military Coordination