JUSTIFICATION AND OVERVIEW:
The rapid evolution of artificial intelligence (AI) is transforming the strategic landscape for military, intelligence, and national security operations. From operational planning and surveillance optimisation to predictive modeling and autonomous decision support, AI is no longer just a technological buzzword—it is a mission-critical capability.
However, many government and defense organisations face a fundamental challenge: how to harness AI effectively in disconnected, denied, or degraded (D3) environments where cloud-based solutions, persistent connectivity, or centralised compute are not viable.
This course—Artificial Intelligence for Strategic Operations (Offline)—is uniquely designed to bridge the gap between strategic intent and technical application of AI in non- permissive, air-gapped, or field-deployed scenarios. It is focused on equipping senior planners, technical operators, and analysts with a practical understanding of deploying AI capabilities in edge environments where bandwidth, power, and compute must be carefully managed.
Rather than focusing on blue-sky concepts, this course takes a mission-first approach. It teaches participants to understand AI models, tailor them to local needs, and implement them tactically—offline—using hardened, deployable architectures and pre-trained models. Strategic case studies and ethical implications are explored throughout, ensuring attendees can advocate, implement, and defend AI use in critical operations.
This course is ideal for agencies seeking an AI uplift that is grounded in realism, sovereign control, and strategic effect.
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT:
This course empowers operational and strategic teams to understand and apply artificial intelligence in mission environments where cloud access is unavailable. Participants will learn how to deploy, run, and adapt AI models in disconnected or tactical settings, supporting critical decision-making in military and intelligence operations.
CONDITIONS OF ENTRY:
Students are not required to have any specific experience before participating in this course. Participants must have a working knowledge of data or technology planning at the operational or strategic level.
INDICATIVE COURSE CONTENT
Module 1: Understanding AI in a National Security Context
• Strategic relevance of AI for modern warfare and decision dominance
• Understanding ML, CV, NLP, and LLMs in non-academic terms
• Risks, limitations, and ethical considerations in closed-loop deployments
Module 2: Offline AI Architecture & Deployment Models
• Air-gapped vs. intermittently connected AI workflows
• Hardware for offline AI (Raspberry Pi, Jetson Nano, ruggedised GPU rigs)
• Containerising and deploying pre-trained models locally
Module 3: Tactical AI Use Cases in Disconnected Environments
• Object recognition for ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance)
• NLP/translation for real-time field communications
• Predictive logistics, threat prioritisation, and situational awareness
Module 4: Adapting AI Models to Field Conditions
• Fine-tuning pre-trained models without internet access
• Embedded dataset updates: handling data drift and stale inputs
• Red-teaming your own models: testing for brittleness and bias
Module 5: Case Studies & Strategic Integration
• Use cases from peer-state conflict, covert deployments, anddisaster zones
• Planning for AI support in joint operations and coalitionenvironments
• War gaming AI-enabled operations with strategic outcomes