NATO adopts AI-enabled combat system: a technological breakthrough for the Atlantic Alliance
MONS, Belgium – On March 25, 2025, the NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCIA) and the American company Palantir Technologies Inc. formalized the acquisition of the Maven Smart System NATO (MSS NATO), intended for use within the Allied Command Operations (ACO). This is a key step towards modernising the Alliance’s operational capabilities in an era of digital warfare and hybrid threats.
The system, based on advanced Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, represents one of the fastest acquisitions in NATO history: only six months passed from the definition of the operational requirement to the actual procurement. The system is expected to be operational at the ACO within 30 days of acquisition.
Artificial Intelligence: A new generation of tools for the warfighter
The NATO Maven Smart System is designed to enhance the effectiveness of military operations through a unified, AI-enabled platform. Through a diverse range of applications – from large language models (LLM) to generative AI and machine learning – the system offers significant improvements in information fusion capabilities, battlespace awareness, operational planning and accelerated decision making.
“NCIA is pleased to partner with Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) and Palantir to deliver NATO’s MSS warfighter, providing cutting-edge AI capabilities tailored to the Alliance’s needs,” said Ludwig Decamps, Director General of the NCIA. “These tools are critical to operating effectively and decisively in today’s operational environments.”
Alliance Strengthens Deterrent Posture
The introduction of MSS NATO underscores the Alliance's willingness to boldly lead technological innovation in an increasingly competitive geopolitical environment characterized by the growing use of cyber tools, disinformation and cognitive warfare.
“It is an honor to support NATO in its desire to strengthen deterrence through an AI-enabled platform deployed at SHAPE,” he said. Shon Manasco, Senior Counselor at Palantir Technologies. “This partnership demonstrates the Alliance’s determination to remain at the forefront of the military technology revolution.”
Transatlantic Synergy and Strategic Vision
The implementation of the system at SHAPE aims not only to strengthen ongoing operations, but also to act as a catalyst for the adoption of other emerging capabilities already under development within the Alliance. These include new AI models, advanced simulation solutions and virtual environments for operational experimentation.
“Technology is at the heart of our warfighting capability,” said the General Markus Laubenthal, Chief of Staff SHAPE. “MSS NATO enables the Alliance to exploit complex data, accelerate decision-making and ultimately add tangible operational value.”
Through MSS NATO, collaboration between the technological bases of North America and Europe is also strengthened, with a clear strategic direction towards the integration of dual-use capabilities (civilian and military) and greater interoperability between the different actors of the Alliance.
A paradigm shift for NATO
With this acquisition, NATO is taking a decisive step towards a new paradigm of multi-domain warfare, where information, speed of decision-making and cognitive superiority are the key elements of operational success. The ability to process and interpret huge volumes of data in real time allows us to anticipate the adversary's moves, identify emerging threats and optimize the conduct of operations on the ground.
The speed with which the acquisition process was completed also demonstrates the growing awareness within the organization of the urgency of equipping itself with modern tools to face the challenges of the 21st century.
Conclusions
The introduction of the NATO Maven Smart System marks a turning point in the digital transformation of the Atlantic Alliance. More than just an IT system, the NATO MSS is a force multiplier, capable of integrating artificial intelligence into decision-making and combat operations.
In a rapidly changing international context, where technological superiority is increasingly decisive, NATO proves ready to face future threats with tools commensurate with its strategic ambitions.
Born Alessandro Generotti, C.le Maj. Parachutist on leave. Military Parachutist Patent no. 192806. 186th RGT Par. Folgore/5th BTG. Par. El Alamein/XIII Cp. Par. Condor.
Founder and administrator of the website BRIGATAFOLGORE.NET. Blogger and computer scientist by profession.
