First-ever aerial dogfight between human and AI

In a first, an AI-controlled fighter jet successfully faced a human pilot in an aerial dogfight test carried out last year by the US Air Force.

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) revealed that the experiment with artificial intelligence (AI) applications began in December 2022 as part of its Air Combat Evolution (ACE) programme, The Verge reported.

It worked to develop an AI system that was capable of autonomously flying a fighter jet while also adhering to the USAF’s safety protocols.

The US Air Force released a video of the test where the AI-controlled F-16 fighter jet was pitted against a manned F-16.

The US Air Force deployed human pilots on board the AI-controlled fighter jet, tagged X-62A, who had controls to disable the AI system, however, DARPA said the pilots did not need to use the safety switch at any point.

According to DARPA, the X-62A was pitted against a manned F-16. Both aircraft engaged in nose-to-nose fight, a video for which has been released.

However, it was not revealed which fighter won the dogfight.

“Dogfighting was the problem to solve so we could start testing autonomous artificial intelligence systems in the air,” Bill Gray, the chief test pilot at the US Air Force’s Test Pilot School, said in a statement. “Every lesson we’re learning applies to every task you could give to an autonomous system.”

DARPA had installed the artificial intelligence (AI) system in its X-62A aircraft at Edwards Air Force Base in California where the dogfight test was carried out against a human in September 2023.

With a total of 21 test flights conducted so far, DARPA said the tests will continue throughout 2024.