Home News US Air Force Secretary Successfully Flies in AI-Controlled Fighter Jet
NewsTechnologyWorld

US Air Force Secretary Successfully Flies in AI-Controlled Fighter Jet

598

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall boarded an experimental F-16 fighter jet controlled entirely by artificial intelligence (AI) at Edwards Air Force Base in California on Friday. The AI-controlled F-16, known as Vista, reportedly executed high-speed manoeuvres at over 550 miles per hour, subjecting Kendall to forces five times that of gravity.

“It nearly went nose to nose with a second human-piloted F-16 as both aircraft raced within 1,000 feet of each other, twisting and looping to try to force their opponent into vulnerable positions”, news agency AP reported.

The flight has, indeed, been described as one of the most significant advancements since the introduction of stealth technology in the 1990s. Stealth makes warplanes and other vehicles invisible to radar and harder to spot.

Following Kendall’s hour-long flight, he expressed confidence in the AI technology.

“At the end of the hour-long flight, Kendall climbed out of the cockpit, grinning. He said he’d seen enough during his flight that he’d trust this still-learning AI with the ability to decide whether or not to launch weapons in war,” AP narrated.

“It’s a security risk not to have it. At this point, we have to have it,” Kendall had further said about the AI-controlled jet.

This sentiment aligns with the US Air Force’s plans to develop an AI-enabled fleet of over 1,000 unmanned warplanes by 2028 as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The plan is that the AI-enabled drones, often called “loyal wingmen,” will complement human-piloted jets by providing support and communication capabilities.

As historic as these will be, arms control experts and humanitarian groups are deeply concerned that things may potentially go wrong. According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, “there are widespread and serious concerns about ceding life-and-death decisions to sensors and software.

“Autonomous weapons are an immediate cause of concern and demand an urgent, international political response”, it said.

Read: U.S. Job Growth Falls Short in April, Unemployment Rate Rises to 3.9%

About The Author

Leave a comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Articles

Despite Empty Booth Setback at TICAD9, Tinubu Regime Falsely Claims Japan Approved ‘Special Visa’ for Nigerians in Kisarazu
NewsPolitics

Despite Empty Booth Setback at TICAD9, Tinubu Regime Falsely Claims Japan Approved ‘Special Visa’ for Nigerians in Kisarazu

As Nigeria’s global image struggles to recover from an avoidable embarrassment after...

Nigerian Passport
NewsTravel

Nigeria’s Passport Hike: How Rising Fees and Western Influence Are Pricing Ordinary Nigerians Out of Global Travel

Nigeria’s recent decision to raise the cost of international passports has sparked...

News

Russia Proposes Establishment Of Nuclear Power Plant in Niger

Russia has proposed building a nuclear power plant in Niger, offering broad...

Rose Gidado, Dual Regulator and Bill Gates-Funded TELA Maize Advocate, Defends GMO Safety With ‘We Won’t Poison Our Own People’
AgricultureNews

Rose Gidado, Nigeria’s GMO Regulator and TELA Maize Advocate, Defends Safety – ‘We Won’t Poison Our Own People’

Rose Gidado, Director at the Department of Agricultural Biotechnology of the National...