Photo By Tish Williamson | Contracting personnel assigned to the 419th Contracting Support Brigade, a subordinate...... read more read more
FORT BRAGG, North Carolina (Mar. 03, 2025) —Contracting personnel assigned to the 419th Contracting Support Brigade, a subordinate command under the Mission and Installation Contracting Command, used a simulation of Maven artificial intelligence to support contracting requirements for the XVIII Airborne Corps and the 143rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command during a warfighter exercise Jan. 21 to Feb. 08 at Fort Bragg, NC.
Lt. Col. Aditya Khurana, Lt. Col. Matthew Reff and Maj. Joseph Schaefer oversaw 51C contingency contracting operations using artificial intelligence simulation and the Maven Smart System during the 17-day WFX.
The Maven Smart System, MSS or Maven for short, is the Department of Defense’s most visible artificial intelligence tool, designed to process imagery and full-motion video from drones. Maven combines sensors, artificial intelligence and machine learning to modernize battlefield operations, including targeting, logistics planning and predicting supply needs for deployed troops. The MICC team of three used Maven, for their first time, to gain and maintain an accurate common operating picture while planning traditional operational contracting support during the exercise.
Once the team understood the supported units’ requirements flow, reporting procedures and direct coordination lines of effort, using Maven to provide a visual depiction of contracted capabilities at the corps support area provided enhanced efficiencies that they typically would not have without the use of AI and automation.
“Maven provided continuous visual representation of contracted capabilities at the division and corps support area levels across all operational phases, including reception, staging, onward movement and integration; theater opening; theater distribution and theater sustainment, to fully support all aspects of the large-scale combat operations,” Khurana said.
After the exercise Khurana and Schaefer recommended to Col. Douglas Ralph, the 419th brigade commander, that all 51C’s receive Maven training in advance of future training exercises.
“We must become proficient on the same systems that our customers are using,” Khurana reasoned. He applauded AI’s ability to automate routine tasks, provide enhanced data analytics, improve supplier and supply chain management, streamline the procurement processes, ensure regulatory compliance and provide enhanced cyber-security.
Headquartered at Fort Bragg, NC, the 419th Contracting Support Brigade comprises more than 400 military and civilian personnel, with seven battalion commanders and directors responsible to provide core customer service through strategically aligned support to military commands and installations.
“AI systems like Maven have the potential to provide instant information on many operational data points for quick decision making," he continued. "51Cs who become proficient in these systems will be able to better plan for vital requirements in advance, make better real time decisions and provide operational commanders with decision space for saving taxpayer dollars and ensuring the troops on the ground have the capabilities they need to execute operations globally.”
About the MICC
Headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, the Mission and Installation Contracting Command consists of about 1,500 military and civilian members who are responsible to deliver the power of Army contracting by acquiring equipment, supplies and services vital to the U.S. Army mission and well-being of Soldiers and their families. The command also supports the Army's contingency and wartime missions by rapidly deploying trained and ready contingency contracting Soldiers around the world to procure goods and services in austere environments to win in multi-domain operations. MICC’s two field directorate offices, two contracting brigades and contracting battalions are strategically aligned to provide operational contract support to their respective corps or divisions when deployed.
| Date Taken: | 03.03.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.03.2025 15:25 |
| Story ID: | 491918 |
| Location: | FORT BRAG, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 83 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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