The Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Adm. Emmanuel Ogalla, has said that the Nigerian Navy will leverage Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other emerging technologies to enhance its operational activities.
Ogalla said this during the presentation of a paper by navy participants of National Defence College (NDC) Course 31, entitled “Artificial Intelligence and Ship Maintenance: Strategic Options for the Nigerian Navy by 2035”.
The CNS said that the use of AI was significantly transforming the maritime industry, adding that the Nigerian navy was embracing it to improve the availability of ships towards enhancing operational effectiveness. He added that ships were increasingly becoming sophisticated with advancements in technology and the incorporation of AI and other emerging technologies in their construction.
According to him, the Nigerian navy must continue to adopt and integrate these technologies in order to maintain a competitive edge during operations.
Nigerian Navy and technology
Ogalla said the paper was timely as it would invigorate the navy’s consciousness towards AI and other emerging technologies and their implication for operational effectiveness.
He commended the participants for their efforts in drafting a roadmap for transforming the Navy’s maintenance system into an AI-compliant system.
He similarly applauded their novel suggestion of the use of In-Transit-Hull cleaning that would save the navy a lot of foreign exchange from docking ships for hull cleaning.
Why AI?
In his remarks, the Commandant of NDC, Rear Adm. Olumuyiwa Olotu, said the choice of the 2023 topic was deliberate considering that AI was an emerging technology that could enhance the capabilities and efficiency of the navy in various aspects such as ships systems, weapons, networks and command and control, which makes the participants’ research work very germane.
He, therefore, asserted that the strategies proffered by the participants would enhance the navy’s capabilities and operations, in line with Nigeria’s security objectives.
The commandant added that the college would continue to support the navy in its efforts to ensure a safe and secure maritime environment.
A valid point. As AI is harnessed, it’s equally important to focus on the development of the cybersecurity department to safeguard critical infrastructure.