The US 'heats up' the race for AI to operate fighter jets

Russia's fifth-generation stealth aircraft, the Su-57 (Felon), will be equipped with an AI-powered communications system, according to state-owned corporation Rostec, as manufacturers race to build autonomous features into fighter jets.

“The equipment is designed for fifth-generation fighters,” Rostec said in a statement on its official website. “The use of this technology improves the quality of information transmission between aircraft and ground systems.”

Advantages in electronic warfare

AI-enabled devices could give fighter jets a big advantage when it comes to electronic warfare. For example, onboard communications systems could automatically search for the most effective channels in the vicinity, along with anti-jamming or jamming features.

“The device ensures reliability in information transmission thanks to features such as anti-interference encryption, interleaving of symbols in content, synchronization of signal processing, simultaneous transmission of messages through parallel channels, as well as increased range of stable communication…”, the Russian corporation said.

Russian Air Force's Su-57 gets significant upgrade with AI-integrated update

The new radio communications suite is not the first AI update for the Su-57. Previously, the Russian Air Force's flagship fighter jet was equipped with an AI system that assisted pilots in making decisions on the battlefield.

The Su-57 is a twin-engine stealth multirole fighter developed by Sukhoi for the Russian Aerospace Forces, first put into service in 2020, with the aim of gradually replacing the MiG-29 and Su-27 aircraft.

Russia’s fifth-generation fighter jet is in the race to become one of the first aircraft capable of flying with the help of AI, while the US military hopes its sixth-generation fighters will be equipped with the option of flying without a pilot.

AI can also help in sharing information and coordinating actions between attack aircraft. For example, the UK, Italy and Japan are developing a new fighter called Tempest that uses AI algorithms to interact and coordinate combat between allies. It also has the option of flying without a pilot thanks to its new computer system.

More “open” to the use of AI

The U.S. Air Force's Next Generation Air Superiority (NGAD) program aims to develop a fighter jet that will succeed the Lockheed F-22 Raptor. The program's goals include autonomous aircraft and other features that could give it an edge in tight combat situations on the battlefield.

“We see fighter squadrons accepting more freedom for autonomous systems, not just in patrol, but whether it's mission signals, electronic warfare or other functional communications,” Gen. Mark Kelly, commander of Air Combat Command, told National Defense.

The test shows that a wave of fully computer-controlled jet aircraft is coming soon.

An AI “agent” recently flew a fighter jet called the VISTA X-62A built by Lockheed Martin for more than 17 hours at the US Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base in California, marking the first time AI has been used on a tactical aircraft.

The VISTA test aircraft is based on a modified F-16D Block 30 Peace Marble II fighter, equipped with software that allows it to mimic the performance of other aircraft.

Not only in the military , AI is also attracting the attention of companies providing service technology. ShieldAI, a startup in the industry, said that their Hivemind software is a “dual-purpose” AI pilot for both commercial and military use, capable of performing a variety of tasks, from penetrating air defense systems to aerial combat.

A few years ago, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said that fighter jets would soon be obsolete due to AI advances. However, military experts say this technology still has a long way to go before it can completely replace human pilots.

(According to PopMech)

Source