Raytheon and Uptake, a leader in the development of industrial-use artificial intelligence software, have teamed to bring predictive maintenance capabilities to deployed U.S. Marine Corps teams using M88 HERCULES armored recovery vehicles.

An M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank with 2nd Tank Battalion, 2nd Marine Division, is towed by an M88A2 Hercules Recovery Vehicle during a fire and maneuver training operations at Fort Stewart, Ga., Feb. 10, 2018 (Picture source: U.S. Marine Corps / Cpl. Alexander Sturdivant)

With this partnership, Raytheon brings the technical ability for onboard recording, processing and transfer of large quantities of sensitive data over secure Wi-Fi, while Uptake brings a suite of advanced artificial intelligence software that offers actionable insights at the component level. "Commanders should have data-driven confidence that the vehicles chosen for a critical operation are not trending toward an issue right when it matters the most," said Matt Gilligan, vice president of Raytheon's Intelligence, Information and Services business. "These kinds of decisions don't just save dollars and ensure mission success-- they save lives."

Current maintenance and logistics decisions are event-based or timeline driven, but militaries are increasingly using advanced data analytics and condition-based monitoring to identify problems and provide alerts before they happen. For Marines using the M88, this proactive approach ensures predictive maintenance strategies are in place to improve long-term vehicle health and maximize availability: "To shift from reactive to predictive maintenance requires advanced data analytics and artificial intelligence technologies," said Brad Kewell, Uptake's Founder and CEO. "We want to radically improve mission readiness, success and safety for deployed Marines at the tactical edge."