The Air Combat Evolution program, run by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), has successfully tested artificial intelligence on an aircraft.
As part of the experiment, a human pilot flew an F-16 while an AI-controlled X-62A plane fought against it. The X-62A’s pilots could disable the AI if they so desired, but it was not mandatory. The planes were traveling at a speed of 1931 kilometers per hour as they got close to the 609-meter mark. DARPA refrained from naming the victorious plane.
Dogfights, according to the head of the US Air Force Test Pilot School, were a necessary precondition for flying autonomous AI systems. DARPA’s goal is to create an AI system that can fly a fighter jet without human intervention, all while following Air Force safety procedures.
There have been 21 test flights so far, and the agency plans to continue this practice throughout 2024.