The Department of War deployed the Maven Smart System (MSS), an AI platform built by Palantir, to analyze data from drones, satellites, radar, and other sensors to identify objects and potential targets and support battlefield decision-making. The program traces its roots to Project Maven, launched in 2017; Palantir became the primary contractor under a May 2024 contract. As of 2026, the Pentagon is expanding MSS department-wide as a formal program of record.

Maven Smart System grew out of Project Maven, launched in 2017, which initially applied computer vision to analyze drone footage. The system processes inputs including satellite imagery, full-motion video, geolocation data, and radar to detect, classify, and track objects and personnel of interest, and surfaces potential targets to human analysts for review. It also includes an AI Asset Tasking Recommender that can suggest which weapons should be assigned to which targets, with human officers retaining final authority. In April 2026, the Pentagon requested $2.3 billion over five years to expand Maven, and the system has been described as the Department's primary battlefield command-and-control, targeting, and situational awareness platform.