Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE: NOC) has launched a new research consortium with universities to advance machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) programs.

The REALM consortium is an industry-academia partnership to advance research, foster collaboration and address technological challenges due to advances in machine learning, cognition and artificial intelligence. As part of the consortium, Northrop Grumman has selected three research teams to collaborate on applied research that addresses key customer applications including multiple sensor track classification, identification and correlation; situational knowledge on demand; and quantitative dynamic adaptive planning.

Each team is comprised of multiple universities. All three teams, including researchers from Carnegie Mellon University; Johns Hopkins University; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Purdue University; Stanford University; University of Illinois at Chicago; University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Maryland, College Park received a total of $1.2 million research funding from Northrop Grumman.

Eric Reinke, VP and Chief Scientist, mission systems, Northrop Grumman, said that in today’s environment, machine learning, cognition and artificial intelligence are dramatically reshaping the way machines support customers in their mission. The highly complex and dynamic nature of the mission demands an integrated set of technologies and the company is excited to partner with academia to enhance the firm's customers' missions.