Maritime Industry Briefing: Defence Technology and AI Data Fusion Developments

## Maritime Industry Briefing ### Defence Tech Roundup: IFF Certification and AI Data Fusion Signal Broader Security Modernisation Two recent announcements from the defence and technology sectors underscore the accelerating pace of modernisation across military and federal platforms — developments that carry relevance for naval operators and maritime security professionals tracking the evolution of combat-ready and dual-use technologies. **BAE Systems IFF Solution Achieves AIMS Certification** BAE Systems has announced that its new Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) solution, the AN/APX-127(V)1 Combined Interrogator Transponder, has received AIMS certification, qualifying it to support future combat aircraft missions. According to PR Newswire, the system is designed to meet the latest cryptographic and cybersecurity resilience requirements, offering a modernised and adaptable platform for military operators. While the announcement is primarily framed around aviation applications, IFF technology is a cornerstone of naval warfare and maritime domain awareness. The ability to reliably distinguish friendly from hostile assets in contested environments is equally critical at sea as in the air, and advances in combined interrogator-transponder systems often find parallel application across surface and subsurface naval platforms. The AIMS certification — administered by the US Department of Defense — signals that the system meets stringent interoperability and security standards relevant to joint and coalition operations. **Praeses Secures GSA Phase III SBIR Contract for AI Data Fusion** Separately, Shreveport-based technology firm Praeses has secured a General Services Administration (GSA) Phase III Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract to accelerate the deployment of AI-powered data fusion and visualisation solutions across the federal government. The award, which follows an Air Force Global Strike Command engagement, is intended to provide rapid access to proven solutions across national security missions, the company said in a statement. AI-driven data fusion — the integration of disparate sensor and intelligence feeds into coherent operational pictures — is increasingly central to maritime surveillance, port security, and naval command-and-control systems. As navies and coast guards worldwide grapple with vast volumes of AIS data, satellite imagery, and sensor inputs, platforms capable of synthesising this information in near real-time represent a significant operational advantage. Taken together, these announcements reflect a broader trend of accelerated investment in the technologies underpinning modern maritime and naval security — from identification and authentication systems to intelligent data integration platforms. Industry observers will be watching closely as these capabilities mature and migrate across domains. *Sources: PR Newswire Heavy Industry*