U.S. Testing A.I., Autonomous Tech With F-16s Says Defense Agency Boss

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As the world becomes increasingly interested in artificial intelligence, governments and companies are investing more resources into upgrading their infrastructure and researching advanced concepts like machine learning and reinforcement learning. A Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) official recently discussed the agency’s collaboration with A.I. DARPA, the research arm of the Department of Defense, has been instrumental in the development of various modern technologies, including the computer and the Internet.

DARPA Utilizing A.I. & Associated Technologies in Majority of Programs, Says Deputy Director

During a recent event at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Matt Turek, the deputy director of DARPA’s Information Innovation Office, discussed the agency’s efforts to stay updated on artificial intelligence in its numerous programs.

The agency has been very active recently, and its recent announcements regarding the use of nuclear technologies in space have generated a lot of excitement. In collaboration with NASA, DARPA plans to launch the world’s first nuclear propulsion rocket into space with the goal of significantly reducing travel time for interstellar journeys.

The DARPA official announced at the event that the agency’s programs heavily incorporate A.I., machine learning, and autonomy, with nearly 70% utilizing these technologies to some degree. A.I. has gained significant attention due to the ChatGPT large language model from Microsoft-backed OpenAI. Turek also mentioned that DARPA has formed partnerships with Google, Amazon, and Anthropic, all of whom are leading A.I. companies.

Turek explained that his agency has utilized artificial intelligence to identify and address vulnerabilities in open source software.

A QF-16 full scale drone is autonomous — The first QF-16 full scale targeting drone takes off from the Tyndall Air Force Base in Florida in 2013 as part of the Air Force’s plan to develop targeting drones capable of training with the F-22 and the F-35. Image: U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Javier Cruz

Turek’s most significant remarks were focused on the F-16 program. As the backbone of the U.S. Air Force, the F-16’s lightweight structure and exceptional maneuverability have made it the most sought-after aircraft worldwide. The DARPA official revealed that one of the use cases being tested by the agency for artificial intelligence and autonomy involves the F-16 and its role in the Air Force.

For quite some time now, the U.S. Air Force has utilized remotely piloted F-16s. These aircraft, known as QF-16s, are modified versions of older F-16 air frames. In 2012, the first piloted QF-16 took flight, followed by a remotely piloted flight a year later. During this flight, a pilot performed pre-flight checkouts and then handed over control to an operator by closing the canopy from the outside.

The objective of this program was to supply pilots with targets that resemble 4th and 4.5th generation aircraft. In 2022, the Air Force replaced this program by requesting proposals for a target drone program capable of simulating fifth generation stealth aircraft. Despite the first remotely piloted QF-16 taking flight in 2013, it took four years for pilots to have the opportunity to shoot down a drone during an exercise.

You can view the QF-16’s inaugural remote flight in a video from Boeing below.

The link to the video is https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_A_rEZoXSg.