US military scientists and engineers have successfully tested autonomous AI systems that can fly fighter planes. The Autonomous Aerial Combat System (AACS) was created by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to work with other vehicle-based AI programs in what’s known as the Skyborg project. During testing in December, two AI programs were fed into the system, the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Autonomous Air Combat Operations (AACO), and DARPA’s Air Combat Evolution (ACE). AACO’s AI agents focused on long-range combat with a single adversary, while ACE was geared toward dogfight-style maneuvers with a closer “visible” enemy.
The US Department of Defense has emphasized that AACO and ACE are intended to supplementSponsored Product human pilots, not replace them. In critical situations, AI copilots can take control of the plane by processing millions of data inputs per second. To deal with any technical issues, an engineer trained in the AI system manned the front cockpit during the launch. The goal of the Skyborg project is to obtain autonomous planes as swiftly and safely as possible. Flights can be entirely autonomous in routine missions that do not require human intervention, and the nose section of planes can be swapped out when a cockpit is not needed for a human pilot.
Bill Gray, chief test pilot at the USAF Test Pilot School, claims that artificial intelligence is a natural way of expanding the work he does with human students. Gray believes that AI must be developed in a balanced approach, with built-in safety measures to avoid costly mishaps.
Meanwhile, the Air Force is developing novel ways to recruit and retain the skilled cybersecurity professionals it requires. Senior policymakers have recognized that the military’s technologies must be developed to be secure from cyber-attacks in the modern battlefield environment. The US government’s Cybersecurity Information and Assurance (CIA) program is incentivizing Air Force cybersecurity specialists to stay in the service.
The CIA program, which was created by the National Defense Authorization Act of 2021, advises that cybersecurity specialists should be paid a $50,000 retention bonus on top of their current pay.
The CIA program is meant to address a skills gap that currently exists in the cybersecurity sector, where experienced professionals can command salaries north of $200,000 per year. The program offers financial security and recognizes the value that cybersecurity professionals bring to the Air Force’s modernization efforts.
The CIA program intends to ensure that the military is well-prepared to meet emerging security threats by retaining professional cybersecurity employees with significant expertise.
Heading 1: Autonomous AI Systems Successfully Tested on Fighter Planes
Heading 2: AACO and ACE: Complimentary AI Programs towards Autonomous Aircrafts
Heading 2: AI Copilots to SupplementSponsored Product not Replace Human Pilots
Heading 2: Balancing Development of AI Programs with Safety Measures
Heading 1: Government Incentivizing Cybersecurity Specialists to Stay in Air Force
Heading 2: CIA Program Offering Retention Bonuses to Cybersecurity Professionals
Heading 2: Addressing Cybersecurity Skills Gap with Financial Security
Heading 2: Recognizing the Value of Cybersecurity in Military Modernization
Heading 1: Conclusion
