#United States #U.S. Navy #Chronos Operations #RAITE 2025 #Lorton, Virginia

Chronos Operations Expands Role in U.S. Navy AI Initiatives

Chronos Operations (CO), an Alaska Native Corporation-owned and 8(a) certified Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB), is taking a significant step in advancing artificial intelligence within the U.S. Navy. Recently, CO was selected to participate in the Department of Defense's (DoD) Robust Artificial Intelligence Test and Evaluation (RAITE) 2025 initiative. This strategic participation reflects the organization's commitment to enhancing naval operations through innovative AI solutions.

The RAITE 2025 event is hosted by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane). It is designed to support the Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office (CDAO) and other sectors within the DoD. During this initiative, military and industry leaders will showcase a range of AI models for comprehensive testing and evaluation. The scenarios presented will focus on various aspects, such as multimodal data analysis, cyber-enabled AI networks, collaboration among unmanned systems, and interaction with challenging environments.

The mission of RAITE is crucial: bringing together experts from government, academia, and industry to collaboratively prototype and evaluate AI systems, including advanced technologies like autonomous swarms. These evaluations will occur under simulated attack scenarios to test and enhance the safety, reliability, and operational readiness of AI systems for national defense purposes. Chronos Operations plans to concentrate its efforts on edge AI capabilities, aiming to deploy operations reliably in environments with limited communication.

CO joins a select group of organizations that will partake in six scenario-based exercises designed to construct a secure, open-source framework for evaluating Large Language Models (LLMs) against cyber threats such as data poisoning and prompt injection—a significant concern in the current digital landscape. Notably, CO will be actively involved in supporting all Purple Team scenarios and will focus on defending an LLM on an edge device against various cyber-attacks during Blue Team Scenario 4.

Heather Lacroix, President of Chronos Operations, shared her enthusiasm regarding the selection, stating, "We are elated to be selected. We recognize that future US Naval operations will depend on a strong understanding of AI to ensure our sailors maintain a strategic edge over adversaries."

In support of national security, CO already plays a pivotal role for the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) through its National Name Check Program. This program is utilized by various government agencies to bolster national security efforts. CO provides critical services, including database operations, maintenance, data quality control, and technical support. The integration of AI and Machine Learning (ML) systems is also under consideration to enhance these services further. Experts from CO’s FBI team will contribute insights and expertise to the RAITE initiative.

The proposed capabilities from Chronos Operations are designed to function in real-time, utilizing the Purple Team to deliver analytics across all scenarios. This engagement aims to address significant gaps in technology and fortify defense strategies against evolving cyber threats.

About Chronos Operations

Chronos Operations is a wholly owned subsidiary of Chenega Corporation, recognized as an 8(a) Small Disadvantaged Business (SDB). It operates under the Military, Intelligence, Operations Support (MIOS) Strategic Business Unit (SBU). Specializing in IT professional services, CO supports a wide range of functions, including management, administrative, technical services, and technology modernization efforts. With its involvement in initiatives like RAITE 2025, Chronos Operations is poised to play a crucial role in shaping the future of AI technologies within the U.S. military landscape.