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Artificial intelligence progresses from F-16
virtual dogfights to real flight
The Variable In-flight Simulator
Aircraft (VISTA) flies in the skies over Palmdale. Photo: US Air Force/Kyle
Brasier
STRIKE & AIR COMBAT
Check dog fight trials here: https://tinyurl.com/34ns9v8h
14
FEBRUARY 2023
By: Robert Dougherty
DARPA developed artificial
intelligence has progressed from controlling simulated F-16s in virtual
dogfights to piloting an actual F-16 in flight.
Air Combat Evolution (ACE) program
developers uploaded AI software into a X-62A modified two-seat F-16 test
aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base, California in December last year.
The AI was able to fly multiple
flights over several days in the variable in-flight simulator test aircraft,
providing live-flight data and demonstrating that AI agents can control a
full-scale fighter jet.
ACE program manager Air Force Lt.
Col. Ryan ‘Hal’ Hefron said DARPA has been developing the program for the last
three years since 2019, alongside broader testing with USAF Test Pilot School
and the Air Force Research Laboratory.
“Thanks to the outstanding teamwork
and coordination between DARPA, the Air Force Test Pilot School, the Air Force
Research Laboratory and our performer teams we’ve made rapid progress in phase
two across all areas of the ACE program,” he said.
“VISTA allowed us to streamline the
program by skipping the planned subscale phase and proceeding directly to a
full-scale implementation, saving a year or more and providing performance
feedback under real flight conditions.
“We conducted multiple sorties
(takeoffs and landings) with numerous test points performed on each sortie to
test the algorithms under varying starting conditions, against various
simulated adversaries, and with simulated weapons capabilities.
“We didn’t run into any major issues
but did encounter some differences compared to simulation-based results, which
is to be expected when transitioning from virtual to live.
“This highlights the importance of
not only flight testing advanced autonomous capabilities but doing so on
testbeds like VISTA, which allowed us to rapidly learn lessons and iterate at a
much faster rate than with other air vehicles.
“Across all domains, research moves
only as fast as the tools permit. VISTA’s recent upgrade makes it a much more
effective test bed by enabling rapid integration and safe testing of AI-driven
autonomy. It allowed us to accelerate full-scale flight test of AI-driven
autonomy by at least a year.”
The X-62A aircraft can be programmed
to demonstrate the flight-handling characteristics of a variety of different
aircraft types and uses simulation programs to test autonomous F-16 AI agents.
A safety pilot remains onboard to take control in an emergency.
As part of broader research, the US
Test Pilot School is also measuring how much pilots trust the AI agent to
conduct dogfighting or within-visual-range air combat while the human pilot
focuses on larger battle management tasks.
U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
director of research Dr. Malcolm Cotting said TPS hosted an ACE Trust Capstone
event last monthr using simulators to gauge pilot-agent alignment and
additional trust-calibration flights in the X-62A are planned for later this
year.
“The X-62A VISTA team has proven
with this test campaign that they are capable of complex AI test missions that
accelerate the development and testing of autonomy capabilities for the DOD,”
Dr Cotting said.
“The X-62 is a flight test
accelerator, it allows the USAF to rapidly execute tactical autonomy algorithm
and fixed-wing vehicle model flight tests.
“These tests generate data that is
used to improve the algorithms and vehicle models at a remarkably fast pace.
“The X-62 illustrates the value of
using crewed, surrogate vehicles that possess tactical performance
characteristics as autonomy test assets.”
The ACE program ran AlphaDogfight
Trials in August 2020 where AI agents flew simulated F-16s in a virtual
dogfighting competition. The finale of the trials was an AI agent engaging and
defeating an experienced F-16 fighter pilot flying in a simulator (5-0).
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