The rapid integration and deployment of AI within military systems has triggered ethical debates and controversies. The integration of AI into military systems complicates legal accountability. The tragic loss of civilians during the military campaign in Iran reveals that it is extremely difficult to exercise complete oversight and control over AI systems.

The AI-assisted manoeuvres displayed in the two operations, namely Operation Absolute Resolve in Venezuela and Operation Epic Fury in Iran, showcased elements of the ‘AI Acceleration Strategy’ unveiled by the US Department of War on January 12, 2026[1]. This doctrine integrated Frontier AI, which refers to the most advanced, large-scale foundational AI models that can perform a wide variety of tasks and often match or exceed human capabilities in specific cognitive areas, into military systems, to make the US military an ‘undisputed AI-enabled fighting force’.

The doctrine aimed to shift from human-dependent decision cycles to autonomous algorithmic kill chains. This AI-first approach was achieved through seven targeted Pace Setting Projects (PSPs) that were designed to change the execution standards of modern warfare. These initiatives included ‘Swarm Forge’, which introduces AI enabled capabilities in swarm systems; ‘Agent Network’ supporting battle management and decision making from planning to kill chain execution; ‘Ender’s Foundry’, which allows for tactical simulation and integration; and ‘Open Arsenal’ that cuts down the time of converting technical intelligence into kinetic capabilities from years to hours.

At the enterprise level, ‘GenAI.mil’ allowed for department-wide access to AI generative models like XAI’s Grok and Google’s Gemini; ‘Logi-Link’, which automates predictive logistics and sustainment in high-threat zones; and ‘Aegis Shield’, which provides autonomous defensive measures against adversarial electronic and cyber interference[2].

Most importantly, the doctrine does not include social or political variables in the algorithmic decision cycles, thereby prioritising decision superiority and lethality alone. The deployment of Anthropic’s Claude LLM through DoD’s Palantir platforms – especially the Maven Smart System and AI Platform (AIP) – allowed commanders to seek operational assistance, question data sets and derive instant tactical guidance for efficient decision making[3].

The ‘AI Acceleration Strategy’ found its operational proof of concept in Israel’s recent military campaigns, which analysts identify as examples of automated warfare.[4] AI-based Decision Support Systems (DSS) identified structural targets at a rate previously impossible for human analysts. While a human intelligence officer might identify 50 targets a year, ‘The Gospel’ can generate 100 ‘target recommendations’ per day, effectively functioning as a ‘target factory’.[5]

Operation Absolute Resolve

The US conducted Operation Absolute Resolve on 3 January 2026, targeting Venezuela’s capital, Caracas. It involved a multi-domain military strike operation to capture Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his spouse, Cilia Flores, on charges of narcoterrorism[6]. During this operation, the US government heavily relied on AI for strategic advisory, intelligence fusion, and predicting the battlespace. Military strategists used AI to process vast datasets, perform multi-model intelligence, map kinetic footprints, security structure and protocols. Low-observable platforms such as the RQ-170 Sentinel unmanned aircraft were used to provide real-time telemetry across the region[7].

Palantir’s tracking algorithm enabled continuous telemetry. It combined signals intelligence (SIGINT) from the National Security Agency and high-resolution satellite imagery from the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency.  The most crucial component of this phase is the integration of Anthropic’s generative AI model, Claude, into military systems. It helped analyse thousands of hours of audio intercepts in Persian and Spanish to identify fractures, communication latencies, and loyalties within the Venezuelan military command[8]. Strategists engaged with advanced AI models to run through various options, ground scenarios backed by complex game theory models. The AI system generated possible rupture points and infiltration vectors, and modelled the effects of potential cyber blinding operations on the power grid.

The raid served as a benchmark example of AI integration and synchronisation across multiple domains. The operation included approximately 150 aerial platforms launched from 20 different points spread across the entire Western Hemisphere[9]. This required smooth........

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