A team from the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) Information Technology Laboratory (ITL) is working with the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to improve how the military plans and delivers construction materials and equipment. This project, called Clarity, stands for “Class IV Activity Requirements Integration Taxonomy.” The transformative effort uses cutting-edge data science and artificial intelligence to better predict what supplies are needed for different missions. In doing so, it helps ensure that the right resources are available when and where they’re needed, which supports troops more efficiently and strengthens the nation’s defense readiness.
“For ITL, CLARITY really started at the beginning of this year, but it is something DLA has been talking about for a while,” said Project Manager Dr. Haley Dozier. “ITL has been contributing to the ‘AI-driven Tactical Optimization Matrix,’ or ATOM, engine within the CLARITY effort. The ATOM engine utilizes both state-of-the-art AI and previously established technology like advanced mathematics, statistics and expert-derived systems to connect abstract macro level service responsibilities for an operation to the Class IV material needs on the ground.”
ATOM is a hybrid technology pipeline intended to streamline, automate and validate logistics planning and ensure resources are allocated, sourced and disbursed in an efficient, targeted and consistent manner. ITL’s approach employs advanced AI analytic tools to uncover hidden patterns and insights in Class IV datasets and knowledge bases. This is vital for Class IV – which is a classification for construction and barrier material for military infrastructure and defense systems – stakeholder support.
“Think of everything needed to build a base, repair a runway or even fortify a position,” said Troy Vokes, CLARITY’s Class IV subject-matter expert. “Class IV material includes lumber, plywood, concertina wire, barbed wire, sandbags, container defense walls, pickets, airfield matting, sand grids and so much more.”
Dozier stressed that the collaboration between DLA and ITL is crucial to CLARITY’s success. ITL brought its expertise in AI and data analytics to the table, while DLA brought their expertise in supply chains, logistics and Warfighter needs.
“Together, we’ve been able to develop the ATOM engine, which is capable of analyzing vast amounts of data to predict requirements and materials with unprecedented accuracy,” said team member Ashley Abraham, a computer scientist at ITL. “This kind of tool has never existed before.”
“The incorporation of these technologies enables great flexibility in automating Class IV analysis across theatres and diverse contexts” added Thomas Sigler, also a team member and computer scientist at ITL.
CLARITY will illuminate unknown Class IV requirements, detect subtle signals and relationships between variables and anticipate potential requirement drivers by extrapolating patterns and trends from existing data. By transitioning the process from descriptive to predictive and then from predictive to prescriptive, these tools will utilize historical demand data, Warfighter needs and other critical elements to streamline logistics, reduce risks and provide a single, validated source of Class IV requirements.
“Ultimately this will revolutionize how combat engineers plan and execute operations for mission accomplishment,” said Marko Graham, director of customer operations in the Construction and Equipment Directorate at DLA. “Having the right quantitates in the right location at the right time results in risk mitigation for the Warfighter, as well as end-to-end readiness and operational support and validated planning assumptions. Basically, it will give DLA and the Warfighter a better idea of what is needed before the services are in theater.”
The effort – which will continue through September 2026 – was highlighted at the recent U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and DLA Partnership Day with a focus on the end result of enhancing logistics supportability and mission readiness. In addition to Dozier, Vokes, Abraham, and Sigler, Althea Henslee rounds out the ITL team.