Human leaders in the U.S. Air Force envision human-machine combinations, rather than autonomous robots, as the future of aerial warfare.
From the Realm of Steel and Silicon: The U.S. Air Force is pulling out all the stops when it comes to human-machine collaboration, merging manned and unmanned systems to amplify combat potency. This includes the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), a joint venture between humans and autonomous systems.
That's right! We're talking robots working alongside pilots, baby.
The high-ranking brass, like Gen. David W. Allvin, the Air Force's top dog, is all about maximizing human capabilities with artificial intelligence (AI). He thinks that the best approach is to build the most effective human-machine teams, stressing that war is inherently a human affair. Furthermore, he stated that the future lies in innovative technology that complements the best of human and AI on the battlefield.
But what about Elon Musk, the billionaire tech-bro who's been shouting from the rooftops that manned aircraft are obsolete? Well, he's stirred up a bit of controversy by suggesting that the F-35 Lightning II be scrapped in favor of autonomous platforms. Musk, who's now advising the President-elect on ways to slash federal spending, is aiming to pad his pockets by pushing his autonomous tech in the Trump administration.
Allvin, at a gathering of defense industry execs, Congress members, and the press, warned that an all-autonomous force could make warfare too simple. He argued that while remote-control tech has come a long way, it's not yet reliable or adaptable enough for complete trust.
The discussion of autonomous systems had another moment in the spotlight when reporters arrived at Edwards Air Force Base last week. Brig. Gen. Douglas P. Wickert, commander of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards, mentioned that we may one day have fully autonomous warfare, but that day is still a long way off.
"There may be some day we can completely rely on robotized warfare," Wickert said, " but such a concept could be years, decades, or even centuries away." Predictions of self-driving cars being ready now have turned out to be overblown, and Tesla has struggled to push its tech to a commercial viable stage.
The dynamic environment of air combat introduces a whole new set of technical challenges, such as speed, aerial dynamics, opposition forces, and weapons. The Air Force, eager to move forward, is developing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) systems that can be directed, if not completely controlled, by pilots operating 5th and 6th generation aircraft like the F-35.
The Air Force has put many of these concepts to the test, activating an Experimental Operations Unit (EOU) to refine human-machine teaming strategies. This unit will optimize tactics and procedures for CCA operations through simulations and live-fly exercises.
When asked about future combat aircraft, Lt. Col. Philip Jackson, a senior Air Force test pilot at Edwards, had this to say, "The more autonomy I can give you in the aircraft, it doesn't change your job. It just might change your location, but you're still going to be somewhere in the chain."
Whether AI is ready to take over or if humans are here to stay, one thing is for sure—together, we will dominate the skies. So, don't worry about those robots coming for your job just yet, folks. For now, being a human pilot still carries a pretty rich sense of purpose.
- The U.S. Air Force is developing Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), a joint venture between humans and autonomous systems, to amplify combat potency.
- Gen. David W. Allvin, the Air Force's top dog, believes that the best approach is to build the most effective human-machine teams for warfare.
- Elon Musk has suggested that the F-35 Lightning II be scrapped in favor of autonomous platforms, a proposal that has caused controversy.
- Brig. Gen. Douglas P. Wickert stressed that while remote-control tech has come a long way, it's not yet reliable or adaptable enough for complete trust in an all-autonomous force.
- The dynamic environment of air combat introduces a whole new set of technical challenges, and the Air Force is developing CCA systems that can be directed by pilots operating 5th and 6th generation aircraft like the F-35.
