Artificial intelligence flies fighter jet for 17 hours straight in aviation first
Brady Knox
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An F-16-based fighter jet was piloted by artificial intelligence for 17 hours straight — an aviation first.
The Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft, or VISTA, X-62A is a “one-of-a-kind” training aircraft. It’s a modified F-16D Block 30 Peace Marble II designed for the U.S. Air Force by Lockheed Martin Skunk Works, working with in collaboration with Calspan Corporation. The unique aircraft was recently fitted with software that allows it to mimic the performance of piloted fighter jets on its own.
Recent upgrades, including a Model Following Algorithm and a System for Autonomous Control of the Simulation, allowed it to fly autonomously and conduct its record-breaking flight in December at Edwards Air Force Base, Lockheed Martin announced in a press release.
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The VISTA X-62A was praised by Dr. M. Christopher Cotting in the release. Cotting is the director of research at the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School.
“VISTA will allow us to parallelize the development and test of cutting-edge artificial intelligence techniques with new uncrewed vehicle designs,” he said. “This approach, combined with focused testing on new vehicle systems as they are produced, will rapidly mature autonomy for uncrewed platforms and allow us to deliver tactically relevant capability to our warfighter.”
The release noted that Lockheed Martin has been integrating AI into its products for decades, but the latest development is a drastic step up in AI capabilities for the U.S. Air Force.
The VISTA X-62, formerly the NF-16D VISTA, has been training Air Force pilots for over three decades. It was refitted in 2021 to focus more on its AI capabilities, Defense Visual Information Distribution Service reported.
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The F-16, first flown in 1974, has proven to be a durable fighter over the years, and it’s been constantly upgraded. It has regained new relevance in recent weeks because the Ukrainian Armed Forces put it at the top of its weapons wish list.