Air Force Secretary Plans to Get in Cockpit of Self-Flying Fighter Jet

The Air Force is building an army of artificial intelligence-powered warfighters, each of which will command a fleet of small, buzzing drones.

Jack Daleo

Friday, April 12, 2024 at 03:55 PM ET

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An F-16 fighter jet arrives at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida to be modified for autonomous flight testing. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]

Key Takeaways:

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall plans to fly in an AI-controlled F-16 fighter jet to evaluate the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program, which integrates crewed jets with autonomous drones.
The CCA initiative aims to address the high cost and limited quantity of traditional fighter jets by incorporating more cost-effective, uncrewed autonomous platforms.
The U.S. is making significant investments in military AI and autonomous systems, including modifying F-16s for testing and building a new AI research center.
This push for advanced autonomous technology is driven by the need to modernize and maintain a competitive edge against China's rising military power and drone capabilities, with calls for urgent budget allocations.

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During a Senate hearing on Tuesday, Air Force secretary Frank Kendall told U.S. lawmakers he will get in the cockpit of an artificial intelligence-controlled fighter jet.

Kendall said the flight is intended to allow him to observe the technology underlying the Air Force’s future fleet of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), which will pair crewed jets with fleets of tiny, buzzing, autonomous drones. A second pilot will join the Air Force secretary, but neither will actually fly the aircraft—a modified F-16—except in case of emergency.