How The Iran Conflict Is Reshaping Warfare
How The Iran Conflict Is Reshaping Warfare
Publish Date: 2026-03-30 00:25:00
Source Domain: www.forbes.com
PERSIAN GULF, SAUDI ARABIA – 9 APRIL: A satellite view of the Persian Gulf, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman, a vital maritime corridor for global energy exports. (Photo by Gallo Images/Orbital Horizon/Copernicus Sentinel Data 2025)
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In late February 2026, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military operations—code named Epic Fury and Roaring Lion—against Iran, marking the largest U.S. military operation since the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Over the course of the conflict so far, U.S. Central Command struck more than 11,000 targets, while Iran responded with over 500 ballistic missiles and 2,000 drones. Supreme Leader Khamenei was killed in the opening strikes. But the statistics alone do not capture what made this conflict historic: this was the first U.S. war in which artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and commercial technology were not supporting actors—they were the main event.
AI At The Center Of The Kill Chain
PRESIDENTIAL COMPLEX AND KHOMEINI RESIDENCE, TEHRAN, IRAN — MARCH 03, 2026: 02 — Vantor satellite image shows an overview of the presidential complex and Khomeini residence showing smoke damage after airstrikes in Tehran. Please use: Satellite image (c) 2026 Vantor.
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When I became the Director of the Defense Innovation Unit at the Pentagon in 2018, Project Maven was already underway. Long before LLMs, DIU was supporting Project Maven with several vendors to improve computer vision, an AI capability to distinguish among objects in satellite imagery to save analysts studying pixels. Project Maven, formally the Algorithmic Warfare Cross-Functional Team, was established by Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work in 2017 to accelerate the adoption of machine learning in ISR and geospatial intelligence. Air Force Lt. Gen. Jack Shanahan and Marine Corps Col. Drew Cukor initially led Maven describing it as a pathfinder to “kindle the flame” of AI across the…
