The US Air Force says it has carried out twelve test flights, with all pilot work, including combat actions, being performed by software. The tests should lead to more help from AI in aerial combat.
It involves a combination of various systems, says the US Air Force. The Air Force Research Laboratory’s Autonomous Air Combat Operations system conducted a one-on-one combat against an opponent not in sight. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s Air Combat Evolution performed dogfights with other AI systems in sight.
The flights of X-62A Variable Stability In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft, or VISTA, were real, but the fights, of course, were not. All flights had a human pilot to intervene if things went wrong. In addition, employees could adjust the systems within minutes to make the AI systems react differently.
The experiments should lead to better AI support for pilots in the air or eventually even to autonomously flying systems. A regular X-62 fighter plane has been modified for this experiment.
