China cautions the U.S. against deploying fighter jets piloted by Artificial Intelligence.

Antipolo Magazine 2020

On January 30, 2019, Roger Tanner and Bill Gray piloted the Variable Stability In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, to Edwards Air Force Base following modifications and a new paint scheme. The aircraft was redesignated from NF-16D to X-62A on June 14, 2021 (U.S. Air Force photo by Christian Turner).

Recently, U.S. Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall flew aboard an experimental F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet equipped with artificial intelligence. This development has raised concerns for the People’s Republic of China, as AI-piloted combat aircraft could offer superior capabilities and faster response times compared to human-piloted planes.

 

Notably, this is not the first instance of testing an AI-controlled aircraft. In mid-April, the experimental X-62A VISTA, based on an F-16 fighter and used for AI testing, participated in simulated aerial combat against other F-16 fighters of the United States Air Force. These simulations focused on beyond-visual-range aerial combat scenarios.

Weeks later, during another test observed by the U.S. Air Force Secretary, the X-62A VISTA executed a series of flights and maneuvers at speeds of 885 km/h. "The combat between the AI fighter and the human pilot with '2,000 or 3,000 hours of experience' was virtually equal," Kendall stated on Wednesday, May 8, at an AI exhibition in Washington.

As a result, the Asian media outlet South China Morning Post reports that Chinese analysts are watching this development with concern. The use of AI could imply superiority in aerial combat capabilities compared to human pilots. They also note that the challenge lies in the need for extensive machine learning to effectively employ these aircraft in air-to-air combat.

While there are no explicit indications, it could be assumed that China might conduct analogous experiments on its J-10 fighters. These aircraft are often viewed as rivals to the F-16, given their versatility, single-engine configuration, and medium-weight classification. Conversely, some argue that the United States aims to build a fleet of more than 1,000 unmanned combat fighter units to be controlled by artificial intelligence in the future.