Training the Next Generation of Tactical AI
GRIDWATCH: Quick Reaction Force (QRF) is a tactical decision training application designed to capture high-fidelity command decisions from experienced military leaders. Built on the proven GRIDWATCH C2 architecture, QRF places real commanders in compressed, high-stakes tactical scenarios on real-world terrain — and records every decision they make.
The result is a continuously growing corpus of expert-grade tactical decision data that feeds directly into Frontier Defense Technology's next-generation AI command assistants. Every scenario played, every unit moved, every fire mission called contributes to machine learning models that will augment — never replace — human judgment on the battlefield.
“We have decades of doctrine written in manuals that no algorithm can parse into instinct. QRF puts seasoned commanders in the decision seat and captures what no textbook can teach — the why behind the move. That data is how we build AI that thinks like a warfighter, not a statistician.”LTG (Ret.) Thomas Morrison
Board Member — Ground Force Modernization, Frontier Defense Technology
How It Works
QRF generates randomized tactical scenarios on real-world terrain using satellite-derived elevation data and OpenStreetMap infrastructure. Commanders are presented with a force package, a mission objective, and an adversary — then given minutes, not hours, to execute.
Each session is a complete tactical engagement: movement, fires coordination, terrain exploitation, combined arms maneuver, and casualty management. The platform records not just outcomes but the full decision tree — what was considered, what was rejected, and what was chosen under pressure.
Decision Data at Scale
Traditional wargaming produces insights measured in notebooks. QRF produces structured, machine-readable decision logs at a rate of hundreds of engagements per week across participating commands. Each data point is tagged with terrain type, force composition, threat posture, and outcome metrics — creating a training dataset unlike anything available in the open literature.
This data feeds Frontier Defense Technology's FORGE AI initiative, which is developing course-of-action recommendation engines for the fielded GRIDWATCH C2 system. The goal: an AI advisor that has internalized the tactical instincts of thousands of experienced commanders.
NATO-Approved Hardware
QRF runs on Apple iPad Pro, which was approved by NATO to handle classified information in February 2026. This certification enables QRF deployment across all NATO member forces without specialized hardware procurement, significantly reducing the barrier to entry for allied commands joining the training program.
Platform Specifications
Core Capabilities
- Real-world terrain generation from any coordinate on Earth with tactical feature extraction
- AI-controlled opposing forces with distinct doctrinal personalities and adaptive behavior
- Full combined arms simulation: infantry, armor, artillery, recon, engineer, and medical
- Fog of war, line-of-sight, suppression, entrenchment, and overwatch mechanics
- Per-action decision logging with full game replay for after-action review
- Pass-and-play mode for red team/blue team exercises between commanders
- Sub-5-minute scenario generation — dozens of engagements per training session
- Commander AI profiles modeled on real-world doctrinal approaches
Participating Commands
QRF is currently in operational testing with three combatant commands under a controlled evaluation framework. Participating units have completed over 2,400 engagements since the test program began in Q4 2025, generating approximately 186,000 discrete tactical decisions.
Early results indicate that commanders using QRF for supplemental training show a 23% improvement in decision speed during subsequent command post exercises, with no measurable degradation in decision quality.
Request Access
QRF is available to active-duty and reserve component commands with a valid training justification. Contact the GRIDWATCH program office for evaluation access.
Contact Program Office Access requires CAC authentication and command-level authorization. All decision data remains under the control of the participating command.