At Allied Command Transformation (ACT), innovation is driven by operational relevance. As the character of warfare continues to evolve, ACT is focused on ensuring emerging technologies are not only advanced, but usable, interoperable, and able to generate real effect in contested environments. In this case, that effect is not only analytical advantage for Ukraine, but also a cognitive signal to Russian forces: they can be monitored, analysed, and understood at scale, even from far beyond the immediate battlespace.
One such example is an artificial intelligence (AI) model developed at ACT that is currently being integrated into Ukraine’s digital command and control ecosystem for eventual use by Ukrainian forces on the front lines. Known as DELTA, the ecosystem is already used by more than 200,000 members of the Defence Forces of Ukraine and offers a credible pathway to scale once integration is complete. The AI model is already strategically meaningful: it reflects a practical capability, that once operationalized, will help Ukraine better understand Russian force activity. Concealment is increasingly difficult when modern analytics can reveal patterns of behaviour across time and space.
Civilian Science, Adapted for Operational Reality
The AI model was not originally developed for military use. Its roots lie in civilian scientific research, specifically, the study of migration patterns. Talia Beech, Technical Adviser to ACT’s AI Champion and the creator of the model, explained that the original work focused on understanding how large populations move over time and space.
“I originally developed this model to study endangered bird populations, where they concentrate, and how many of them there are,” Beech said. “When we began looking at operational data, it became clear that the underlying science was transferable.”
Rather than tracking individuals, the model is designed to analyse patterns of movement at scale, an approach that proved highly relevant when applied to complex operational environments.
“The science stayed the same. The context changed,” Beech noted. “The model is now applied to military movement. We’re not tracking individuals; we’re analysing activity patterns at scale. In simple terms, the birds are now Russian forces.”
When we began looking at operational data, it became clear that the underlying science was transferable: the science stayed the same; the context changed. The model is now applied to military movement. We’re not tracking individuals; we’re analysing activity patterns at scale.
– Talia Beech
Technical Adviser to ACT’s AI Champion
Integration at Scale Through DELTA
Recognizing the need for rapid operationalization, ACT is working closely with the NATO-Ukraine Joint Analysis Training & Education Centre (JATEC) to support integration of the AI model into Ukraine’s DELTA system, an existing platform already widely used across the Ukrainian Armed Forces. This cooperation is important in its own right: successful projects pursued jointly by ACT and JATEC demonstrate both organizations’ relevance, responsiveness, and enduring commitment to supporting Ukraine with capabilities that are designed for operational use.
Once integration is complete, the model is expected to help analysts and commanders better understand patterns, density, and direction of activity, supporting faster decision-making in a highly dynamic operational environment. Just as importantly, the capability points to a wider cognitive effect: Russian forces activity can be persistently monitored, modelled, and interpreted at scale, even when the underlying analysis is developed and supported far from the front.
“Seeing this technology move from research into real operational use, at scale, has been extraordinary,” Beech said. “The goal is to make it available through DELTA so it can support Ukrainians operating under some of the most demanding conditions imaginable.”
ACT’s AI Champion: From Innovation to Advantage
ACT’s AI Champion, Major General Olivier Pernaudet, emphasized that the value of artificial intelligence lies not in experimentation alone, but in its ability to deliver decision advantage for war today.
“AI is only transformative if it can be operationalized,” Pernaudet said. “Our focus at ACT is ensuring that advanced analytics move quickly from concept to capability, and that they are integrated in a way that supports commanders at the technological edge.”
Pernaudet also underscored the importance of applying civilian innovation responsibly within a military context. “This work demonstrates how proven civilian science can be adapted for defence keeping robust accountability,” Pernaudet noted. “It’s about using data and AI to enhance human judgment, not replace it.”
Turning Ideas into Capabilities
This AI model is part of a broader set of analytical initiatives developed in cooperation with Ukraine, reflecting ACT’s role in bridging innovation and operations. This technology highlights the value ACT and JATEC can bring by working together to turn promising concepts into operationally relevant capabilities. The parternership between Ukraine and NATO produces practical wartime advantage.
As the Alliance continues to adapt to a rapidly changing security environment, examples like this show that innovation is not theoretical: it can deliver operational value and strategic reassurance at the same time. Its value is twofold: modern analytics can generate daily operational effects against Russian forces, while ACT-JATEC cooperation demonstrates commitment, and credible capabilities for Ukraine, delivered in today’s fight.