BROOMFIELD, COLORADO — In a major leap forward for battlefield healthcare technology, BAE Systems has been selected by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) to enhance and deploy its Battlefield Assisted Trauma Distributed Operations Kit (BATDOK®) under the newly initiated FORGE-IT (Force Optimization through Rapid-prototyping, Gear Enhancements & Innovative Technology) program.
The collaboration marks a significant modernization of frontline medical capabilities by integrating artificial intelligence (AI) for real-time diagnostics and remote patient monitoring. This dual-program approach is expected to dramatically improve trauma care delivery for U.S. warfighters in active combat zones.
Digitizing Combat Medical Records from Field to Facility
Developed with AFRL, BATDOK® replaces outdated paper-based record-keeping with a mobile system that electronically captures injuries and treatments from the moment of injury through recovery. The addition of FORGE-IT will embed AI-driven clinical decision support tools, helping medics and field clinicians make faster and more informed treatment decisions.
“At BAE Systems, our goal has always been to protect those who protect us,” said Nathaniel Wiesner, vice president and general manager of Ground Systems & Services for BAE Systems Space & Mission Systems. “Through projects like FORGE-IT, we’re augmenting the abilities of our nation’s warfighters to provide critical medical care in high-threat scenarios and ensure that those who are wounded are given effective treatment in the field.”
Seamless Integration with Department of Defense Platforms
Both BATDOK and FORGE-IT are being integrated into the Department of Defense’s Joint Operational Medicine Information Systems (JOMIS) platform, which supports care delivery at both deployed and home-station medical facilities. This ensures continuity of medical records and enables accurate, real-time data transfer between medics, nurses, and physicians.
By improving visibility into patient status and treatments, these platforms are poised to reduce errors, accelerate care, and improve survival outcomes in hostile environments.
Advancing Defense Health Innovation with Embedded AI
The FORGE-IT initiative will use AI capabilities to enhance remote monitoring, identify critical health changes, and offer predictive analytics during high-risk missions. According to the U.S. Air Force, such technologies are vital for increasing survivability and reducing logistical burdens in next-generation combat operations.
AFRL emphasized that these innovations align with the Department of the Air Force’s broader goals to integrate affordable, advanced technologies into air, space, and cyberspace forces.
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