Autonomous F-16 Fighters Are ‘Roughly Even’ With Human Pilots Said Air Force Chief
The future loyal wingmen of the United States Air Force are inching closer to becoming a reality, and more importantly, the artificial intelligence (AI) controlled aircraft could be on track to be as good as any human pilot. That was the assessment from Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall, who recently took flight in an autonomously-controlled X62A VISTA (Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft), a modified F-16 Fighting Falcon
The aircraft, which incorporates AI and machine learning from DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program, is expected to contribute greatly to the Air Force’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program, which seeks to develop a “system of systems” including a manned sixth-generation fighter supported by autonomous platforms.
Kendall’s flight at Edwards Air Force Base (AFB), California, on May 2 came just weeks after the air service announced that an autonomously piloted F-16 Fighting Falcon had taken part in a series of simulated dogfights with a manned fighter. According to Kendall, during his time in the cockpit of the autonomous aircraft, the AI was able to maneuver the fighter and could simulate an “engagement” against a manned F-16, piloted by an aviator with 2,000 to 3,000 hours of experience.