A new, 19-month contract expands on Merlin’s existing work with the U.S. Air Force to automate the controls on the KC-135 Stratotanker. [Courtesy: U.S. Air Force]
Key Takeaways:
The U.S. Air Force has partnered with Merlin Labs to develop self-flying capabilities for its tanker fleet, starting with the KC-135, to automate aerial refueling, humanitarian aid, and other missions.
Merlin Labs' "Merlin Pilot" system aims to provide full flight autonomy, dynamic mission replanning using AI, and natural language processing for communication, significantly reducing crew workload.
The initiative seeks to allow pilots to focus on core mission objectives, enable extended-crew operations (eventually uncrewed), and is working towards FAA airworthiness certification for commercial and military applications.
The U.S. Air Force is exploring the use of self-flying tankers for aerial refueling and other missions under a new contract.
Boston-based Merlin Labs is the beneficiary of the 19-month, undisclosed value contract—first reported by FLYING—that aims to give current and future American tankers the ability to adapt missions on the fly without human intervention.
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Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.
