Man vs Machine: Air Force & DARPA Conduct "Dogfight" - AI-Powered Jet vs Human Pilot
Air Force may refine its strategy for autonomous drone wingmen, known as collaborative combat aircraft
In a groundbreaking event, an experimental jet, the X-62A VISTA, engaged in a simulated aerial duel with an F-16, marking the first instance of an AI-driven dogfight, as reported by the Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). This successful trial could pave the way for the Air Force to refine its strategy for autonomous drone wingmen, known as collaborative combat aircraft.
The X-62A VISTA, an acronym for Variable In-flight Simulator Aircraft, is a heavily modified F-16. For over three decades, this aircraft has been instrumental in testing advanced aerospace technology, with recent years seeing a focus on autonomous flight capabilities. DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program has spent the past four years honing the military’s use of AI in air warfare and fostering airmen’s trust in autonomous technology’s ability to perform safely and reliably in combat scenarios.