The U.S. Navy has deployed its first advanced AI platform on a warship, the USS Fitzgerald, marking the platform’s first deployment on a naval ship. It will help the Navy predict and manage maintenance needs.

The AI platform is called Enterprise Remote Monitoring Version 4 (ERM v4).

The deployment of ERM v4 is part of the Pentagon’s broader Condition-Based Maintenance Plus program in which the United States Navy aims to use machine learning for optimising maintenance practices.

The platform keeps a check on the health of the ship’s onboard systems and even its hull. It can analyse around 10,000 sensor readings per second.

The information is processed by AI algorithms to produce recommendations regarding maintenance needs.

It can also report a problem that has not occurred but may happen in the future, based on present working conditions.

This approach helps the vessel remain up-to-date, problem-free and running efficiently, which makes it ready in case of a sudden deployment to an area of operation for long periods.

The Navy has high hopes that the platform will help address present challenges related to maintenance delays and fleet readiness.

It will also enhance efficiency. Decrease downtime, and allow the navy to respond to potential conflicts in a systematic and organised manner.

Though the present focus is naval maintenance, the platform can be configured so it can be expanded to other systems like the Naval Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (NMRO) system, likely within 2026.

The Navy also plans to deploy the systems on other vessels to generate, store and record more data that could be used in future.