The US conducted the first flight tests of the F-16 fighter with the VISTA AI system
At the end of 2022, the US Air Force conducted the debut flight tests of the fourth-generation fighter F-16 Fighting Falcon with artificial intelligence. The tests took place over the Mojave Desert in California and were completed successfully.
The artificial intelligence system is called VISTA. The pilot lifted the plane into the air, after which control was transferred to VISTA. An artificial intelligence piloted the plane for a while. A few hours later, the US Air Force tested an alternative drone control system on another F-16 fighter jet.
The US Air Force Command says that the success of the test brings closer the creation of unmanned aircraft, which could begin as early as the 2024 fiscal year. The artificial intelligence system will be able to control the aircraft and coordinate actions with other aircraft.
During the tests, F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters performed various tasks. As part of the first flight, a dogfight with a hypothetical enemy was simulated, including beyond line of sight. In the second flight, artificial intelligence solved navigation tasks.
