The ARTUµ algorithm will actually play the role of co-pilot, said US Air Force Assistant Secretary for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics Will Roper
America’s next-generation fighter-bomber will be equipped with an artificial intelligence system that will actually play the role of a co-pilot. Will Roper, Assistant Secretary of the US Air Force for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, made this prediction at an Internet briefing for a small group of journalists, including a TASS correspondent, on Friday.
“The next-generation fighter jet, designed to gain air superiority, I’m sure, will have a co-pilot inside, assisted by artificial intelligence, perhaps even ARTUµ”, – Roper said.
The artificial intelligence algorithm, called ARTUµ (reads like the name of a robot from the Star Wars movie saga), has been developed by US Air Force scientists. The Pentagon announced on Wednesday that ARTUµ actually acted as a co-pilot in the debut test flight of its kind, carried out a day earlier by the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. As stressed by the US Air Force, this was the first time artificial intelligence had been used in this role aboard a US military aircraft. It was explained that the artificial intelligence system was trained “to perform certain tasks in flight that would otherwise be performed by the pilot”. The ARTUµ algorithm was responsible for the use of detection aids and the tactical navigation system. The U-2 aircraft was on a reconnaissance mission during a simulated missile strike, with ARTUµ’s main duty being to detect enemy launchers, the Air Force Command clarified.
According to Roper, this artificial intelligence system had “full control over the radar” of the U-2 and “full control over navigation” during flight. “It does well what we taught it: it controls the U-2’s [on-board] radar and steers [the aircraft] on course,” the Air Force assistant secretary assured.
He also confirmed that other US Air Force aircraft are currently being considered for the system.
“We are in discussions regarding the deployment of ARTUµ on other platforms. I don’t know which ones will ultimately be chosen”, – Roper said. However, he expressed the view that artificial intelligence will eventually control Skyborg-class drones.
In September, Roper reported that the US had already begun testing a prototype of the next-generation fighter-bomber. According to the information he provided, a full-scale demonstration model has been built. Roper declined to specify how many prototypes of the new aircraft had already been flown, when and where, and which US military-industrial complex companies were involved in the production of the equipment.