F-16 Jet Controlled by AI Pilot Dueling in the Air Against Humans

#F16 #Jet #Controlled #Pilot #Dueling #Air #Humans

Jakarta –

General Dynamics X-62 Vista is fighter jets experimental to test the capabilities of AI or artificial intelligence pilots. Developed by General Dynamics with the company Calpsan for the United States Air Force, this aircraft is based on the F-16D Fighting Falcon.

Vista is designed to fly without the need for human pilot intervention, but rather AI. Even recently, the world’s first duel between a human pilot and a Vista was held in California.

In the exercise at Edwards Air Force Base, a pair of F-16 fighter jets flew at speeds of up to 1,900 kilometers per hour and reached within 600 meters of each other during air combat, also known as dogfighting. Vista itself is short for variable in-flight simulator test plane.

According to the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which conducted the testing, the AI ​​algorithm controlling the flight relies on historical data analysis to make decisions in current and future situations. This process is called machine learning and has been tested for years in simulators in the field.

In 2020, apparently so-called ‘AI agents’ had beaten human pilots in simulations in all five of their duels, but the technology had to be implemented in real life in the air.

Human pilots were on board the X-62A in case of an emergency during the trials, but they did not take control during the dogfight trials, which took place in September 2023, but were only announced this month. The result was successful, although it was not revealed which jet won the air battle, whether controlled by AI or humans.

“The potential of autonomous air-to-air combat has been imagined for decades, but the reality remains a distant dream. In 2023, the X-62A breaks one of the most significant barriers in combat aviation. This is a transformational moment, all made possible by the breakthrough achievements of the X-team 62A ACE,” said Air Force Minister Frank Kendall.

Colonel James Valpiani, commander at the US Air Force test school, said dogfighting was the perfect way to test AI’s capabilities. “Dogfighting is very dangerous. So, if machine learning can operate effectively, this has great potential to gain the trust of humans,” he said.

In the latest test, Kendall even rode the Vista for about an hour. Vista flies Kendall in a maneuver at speeds of more than 885 km per hour which puts pressure on the body 5 times the force of gravity. The jet flew close to a second human-controlled F-16, racing and maneuvering each other.

The military’s shift to AI-enabled aircraft is driven by safety, cost and strategic capabilities. If the US and China conflict, for example, the current fleet of manned and expensive fighter aircraft will be vulnerable. The Chinese Air Force outnumbers the US and is also developing an AI fleet.

Watch the Video “Beware of Deepfake-Based Fraud”

(fyk/rns)