Cubic Collaborates in DARPA's ACE Program
Cubic Defense, the world’s leading provider of advanced air combat training, is honored to be part of the distinguished team of academia, government, and private industry partners collaborating in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program.
Utilizing a specially modified F-16 equipped with autonomous AI control known as the X-62A or VISTA (Variable In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft), the DARPA ACE program strives to increase trust in combat autonomy by using human-machine collaborative dogfighting as its challenge problem. The program increases realism to measure, increase and predict human trust during combat autonomy performance - creating safer and more reliable applications for defense and commercial aircraft.
“The potential for autonomous air-to-air combat has been imaginable for decades, but the reality has remained a distant dream up until now. In 2023, the X-62A broke one of the most significant barriers in combat aviation. This is a transformational moment, all made possible by breakthrough accomplishments of the X-62A ACE team,” said Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall.