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US Air Force admits more work needed on acceptance of AI-piloted aircraft

12th October 2022 - 09:00 GMT | by Ian Parker in Portsmouth

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Blue Force Technologies’ Fury UAS. (Image: Blue Force Technologies)

While the USAF and industry push the boundaries on autonomous aircraft, the air force has still not fully defined what it wants and how the reliability of these next-generation aircraft will be proven.

Computer systems in general and AI systems in particular do not have a reputation for near-faultless reliability. That may be acceptable in a laptop or smartphone, but it is potentially fatal in AI-controlled vehicles.

Fighter pilots will therefore require much more convincing before they enter combat or even training with AI-piloted wingmen.

In the US, Andrew Hunter, Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, said in September: ‘I think it’s fair to say that the history of this effort shows that it takes strong leadership support to overcome the cultural barriers that are sometimes there when

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Ian Parker

Ian Parker became an aerospace and defence journalist in 1980 on Flight International and started …

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