January 27, 2026
Six Essential Takeaways from the 2026 U.S. National Defense Strategy for Maritime Leaders
Detect high-risk smuggling vessels through predictive modeling and behavioral analysis. Reveal smuggling corridors, evolving methods, and emerging threats before they reach you.
Smuggling operations blend into legitimate traffic and evolve constantly. Traditional detection can’t keep pace. Windward Maritime AI™ gives agencies predictive intelligence to detect threats early and prioritize the right vessels.
Identify the highest-risk smuggling vessels using AI-driven border security models that evaluate global maritime behavior daily and surface predictive risk assessments based on behavioral and identity indicators.
Receive customized alerts when high-risk smuggling vessels approach defined areas of interest, enabling early warning and timely operational response before threats reach the border.
Tailor risk profiles to specific smuggling patterns, vessel characteristics, routes, or typologies. Adapt detection to evolving tactics and mission priorities.
Detect early behavioral and identity anomalies associated with high-risk smuggling vessels, providing actionable intelligence before patterns escalate into confirmed smuggling operations.
Focus limited patrol, inspection, and interdiction resources on the highest-risk smuggling vessels as they approach your borders—based on predictive risk and early behavioral indicators.
Investigate high-risk targets in depth by tracking suspected smuggling vessels with remote sensing intelligence, confirming activity, and generating actionable evidence to support enforcement and prosecution.
Continuously monitor high-risk smuggling corridors to uncover emerging routes, hotspots, and areas of sustained illicit activity—enabling proactive monitoring and adaptive enforcement planning.
Go beyond individual vessels to uncover new and evolving smuggling patterns, tactics, and methodologies, helping agencies anticipate how bad actors adapt and respond before threats escalate.
What is Windward’s Smuggling Detection solution?
Windward’s Smuggling Detection solution uses predictive risk modeling and behavioral anomaly detection to identify vessels likely involved in maritime smuggling and trafficking. It enables agencies to detect threats early, prioritize interdictions, and disrupt illicit networks before they reach national borders.
How does Windward detect smuggling vessels before they reach the border?
Windward analyzes global vessel behavior continuously, identifying early indicators linked to smuggling typologies. By detecting anomalies in movement, identity, routing, and operational patterns, the platform surfaces high-risk vessels well before they enter territorial waters.
How are predictive smuggling risk models built?
Windward’s models are trained on years of maritime behavior, enforcement outcomes, and known smuggling patterns. They continuously adapt by learning how smuggling networks evolve, allowing agencies to move from reactive detection to proactive risk assessment.
Can agencies customize smuggling risk profiles?
Yes. Agencies can tailor smuggling risk profiles based on vessel types, routes, regions, behaviors, and mission-specific priorities. This ensures alerts and risk scores reflect local threat environments and evolving smuggling tactics.
How does Early Detection support smuggling operations?
Windward’s Early Detection identifies subtle behavioral and identity anomalies associated with smuggling long before activity escalates into confirmed operations. This gives agencies critical lead time to plan surveillance, task assets, and coordinate interdiction efforts.
How does Windward help prioritize interdictions with limited resources?
Windward ranks vessels by predictive risk and proximity to areas of interest, allowing agencies to focus patrols, inspections, and boardings on the highest-value targets. This reduces operational noise and improves interdiction success rates.
Can Windward help expose smuggling corridors and networks?
Yes. Beyond individual vessels, Windward reveals recurring routes, hotspots, and coordinated behaviors that indicate sustained smuggling corridors. Visual and behavioral analysis helps agencies understand how networks operate and adapt over time.
How does Windward support investigations and evidence building?
Windward enables in-depth investigation by combining behavioral history, vessel identity data, and optional remote sensing confirmation. This supports case development, post-interdiction analysis, and intelligence sharing across enforcement teams.
How does Windward differ from traditional smuggling detection systems?
Traditional systems rely on static rules or alerts triggered too late in the process. Windward uses predictive intelligence, behavioral modeling, and continuous monitoring to detect smuggling risk earlier, reduce false positives, and support proactive enforcement.
Who typically uses Windward’s Smuggling Detection solution?
The solution is used by maritime law enforcement agencies, border security forces, coast guards, customs authorities, and intelligence teams responsible for counter-smuggling, trafficking interdiction, and border protection.
Can Windward integrate with existing enforcement and intelligence systems?
Yes. Windward integrates via APIs and secure data feeds, allowing smuggling risk insights, alerts, and investigations to flow directly into command-and-control, intelligence, or case management systems.
