Applied Intuition has just dropped the US Navy’s first large-scale artificial intelligence (AI) data engine, the Data Edge Collection Kit (DECK), transforming vessels into self-learning, software-driven platforms.
Part of the force’s Portfolio Acquisition Executive for Robotic and Autonomous Systems program, DECK collects and processes live sensor data, overlays actionable info for operators, and manages satellite bandwidth to better handle and deliver operational data.
It also pushes AI updates over the air with minimal sailor input.
Modular and scalable, the AI data engine can be rapidly deployed or expanded into a broader data pipeline aligned with the navy’s move toward a software-defined fleet.
Filling the Data Gap
According to the California-based firm, the US Navy’s older fleet struggles with slow, manual systems that handle target tracking and threat assessment, limiting both speed and accuracy in high-stakes maritime tasks.
DECK fixes that by collecting thousands of hours of real-world data, and automatically updating software on board.
“The future warship is software-defined, and DECK is a cornerstone of that vision,” said Qasar Younis, CEO of Applied Intuition. “It turns ships into data-generating, continuously improving platforms.”
‘Iterative and Adaptable’ Capability
Commenting on the DECK project, US Navy Secretary John Phelan highlighted its role in shaping modern warfare during a recent joint force conference in San Diego.
“If you do not build a data engine, you do not build an AI-enabled force,” he stated.
“That is why the Navy is deploying DECK…enabling an iterative and adaptable feedback loop with legacy bespoke architectures that historically have evolved only through programmatic redesign. This is how we move from demonstrations to dominance.”
Phelan added that industrial collaborations are essential to scale AI fast enough to meet dynamic threats.
“Even with unmanned systems and AI, there is a hard truth: the government cannot deliver the Golden Fleet alone, fast enough, or at scale. That is why private sector partnership is not optional — it is foundational and it must be accelerated.”
