Army Major Accelerating the JAIC’s Predictive Maintenance Mission Initiative

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Meet Major Brandon Robinson, U.S. Army,
Deputy Director of the JAIC’s Predictive Maintenance Mission Initiative

About the Predictive Maintenance Mission Initiative

The Joint Artificial Intelligence Center (JAIC) Predictive Maintenance mission initiative (PMx) is partnering with the military services to help improve the availability of military aircraft, specifically the UH/HH-60 “Black Hawk” helicopter, using artificial intelligence (AI) to minimize downtime due to unscheduled maintenance. The goal of the initiative is to develop AI-enabled solutions that increase operational readiness, create more efficient maintenance practices, and minimize costs. Together with the help of maintenance stakeholders across the Department of Defense (DoD), the PMx team is examining AI-driven diagnostics, training opportunities, process improvements, demand forecasting, and supply chain optimization solutions that can help the department accelerate AI-enabled predictive maintenance at-scale.

Major Robinson’s role at the JAIC

As the Deputy Director for the JAIC’s PMx mission initiative, Major Robinson plans, coordinates, and synchronizes projects and the development of predictive maintenance AI models. As part of this work, the JAIC is currently engaged in partnerships with the U.S. Army Aviation and Missle Command (AMCOM), U.S. Special Operations Command – 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (SOAR), the Army H-60 Utility Program Offices, the Army AI Task Force, the Army Future Vertical Lift Cross-Functional Team, and aircraft maintenance offices from
the U.S. Air Force.

“The PMx team understands that building and maintaining viable partnerships is extremely important to the success of the effort,” said Major Robinson. “Each member brings the expertise and background that is vital to ensuring our algorithms enhance the maintainers ability to keep their aircraft ready for operations.”

How the Predictive Maintenance Mission Initiative will create Mission Impact

Major Robinson said the JAIC’s PMx mission initiative is uniquely positioned to accelerate AI across DoD in these three ways:

1. Create methodologies and standards usable by each service for collecting, curating, and combining data on multiple aircraft platforms, training models on that data, accessing near real-time data, executing models on that data, and presenting the results.
2. Enable the services to develop their own predictive maintenance models and scale them.
3. Foster an environment of collaboration and sharing, reduce duplications of effort, and accelerate AI development by cultivating partnerships between the military services, government agencies working on AI, and the JAIC.

How did Major Robinson’s Military Career Prepare Him for the JAIC?

“While assigned to an AI-organization that is primarily civilian-staffed, understanding how to lead and communicate in this unique environment is paramount,”

Major Robinson stressed. Major Robinson said his recent participation in the highly-sought Training With Industry (TWI) program prepared him for an assignment at the JAIC. The TWI program embeds service members within industry organizations for 12 months. Major Robinson worked with a company that produced 50 percent of DoD's small ammunition. During his tenure, he directly supported the company’s executives and learned high-level managerial techniques. One concept that resonated with Major Robinson is the idea of employee commitment versus employee compliance. "If I can't inspire my subordinates, then everything else I do will fail,” said Major Robinson.

Utilizing lessons learned, and acquired skills from his industry program, Major Robinson said he hopes to bring his unique military-industry experience to help the PMx mission initiative develop into a premier organization for accelerating AI solutions in predictive maintenance.

Major Robinson’s Personal Experience Attending Fort Valley State University

“Coupled with my family's core values, Fort Valley State University (FVSU) in Georgia, provided me with an understanding of how effective leadership and dedication can drive success in my profession,” Major Robinson said.

While attending FVSU, he met Lt. Colonel Gregory Rook, a Professor of Military Science, who took Major Robinson under his wing, introduced him to ROTC, and challenged him to be a leader. Lt. Colonel Rook's dedicated mentorship and leadership provided Major Robinson with a solid foundation for Army life and Officership.

“I view my collegiate years as the most important time in my life,” said Major Robinson. “FVSU is an extraordinary institution that taught me about scholarship, perseverance, and uplift. I learned not only about myself, but also about people from all walks of life, some of whom challenged me to think differently and critically.”