AI-Piloted Concepts Emerge As U.S. Air Force Ponders Options

Three distinct classes of aircraft piloted by artificial intelligence have emerged as options to fly alongside current and future U.S. Air Force fighters. The candidates range from expendable to exquisite systems, with a potential middle tier of attritable aircraft that leverage modular design features inspired by the automotive industry. All of these concepts were on full display inside the exhibit hall of the Air Force Association's annual Air, Space and Cyber Conference, which celebrated the 75th anniversary of the founding of the Air Force as an independent branch of the military. On the high end, Northrop Grumman's booth featured a concept model of the SG-101, the latest example of the company's long line of advanced flying-wing aircraft. Lockheed Martin, meanwhile, showed off the Skunk Works' concept for the Speed Racer, an expendably cheap uncrewed aircraft system (UAS) that will soon be teamed with F-35s for a demonstration called Project Carrera.