Secretary of the Air Force to Ride in F-16 Flown by Artificial Intelligence

SECAF Plans to ride in an F-16 with AI at the helm. Mover and Gonky discuss! www.airforceti...
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Views presented are my own and do not represent the views of DoD or its Components.

[@rogerwilco5918]

It would be funny if that AI showed him what 9 G's looks like

[@charlesmaurer6214]

Or 12 G's for a prolonged bit.

[@Onigatana]

🤣

[@CWLemoine]

A Viper won't do 12Gs for any period of time.

[@toxickilljoy9037]

​@CWLemoine I'm gonna account for variables that have been lost over time, but I remember reading an article at one point in time where they had tested a pilotless aircraft that was based for combat and dogfighting that was tested to pull something along the lines of I think 11G? Which is really a pretty solid structural feat if you account for all the moving parts and electronics that need to stay operational under all that stress. Makes you wonder if making manned aircraft dogfight would be an obsolete design choice when sacrificial drones can carry the same payload with a higher maneuverability. Would love it if you guys could bring this up in a mover and gonky show lol are we approaching the age of dogfighting drones and cruise missile busses?

[@toxickilljoy9037]

​@@CWLemoine not sure what aircraft and I couldn't find the article, but it was something along those lines.

[@misterbean412]

He has a degree in aerospace engineering and worked for Raytheon so he probably has a good technical understanding of the tech. Still nice to have a pilot around in case something goes wrong.

[@Spectator1959]

Having the SecAF ride in an AI F-16 is clearly a PR move to draw attention to AI, and that’s cool. But what would be really impressive is for the SecAF to take the ride WITHOUT the human pilot - just the AI piloting. Now that would really say “We’re all in on AI.”

[@x-stream]

The terminator was a great documentary

[@eugenicsworks]

"UNNECESSARY WEIGHT DETECTED, ENGAGING EJECTOR SEAT"

[@EntertaningAmerica]

Lol.. you should see the SECARMY

[@austinclark3495]

Ai auto ejector seat would be really good from a safety standpoint, if you got it working properly.

[@NexAngelus405]

There's an anime called Yukikaze where the main character is a fighter pilot fighting in a war with aliens. His plane has an onboard AI named Yukikaze acting as support that can also take control in emergencies. The MC is one of those antisocial loner types, and he forms a somewhat troubling attachment to Yukikaze, putting an unusual amount of faith in the AI's judgment and becoming depressed when deprived of interaction with Yukikaze for long periods of time. In fact, in the first episode, when the MC spots a bogey on radar, Yukukaze deduces it to be a hostile. When they get close enough to identify it visually as a friendly, he opens fire on it anyway because as he put it, "Yukikaze says it's an enemy." However, it turned out that Yukikaze was right because an investigation revealed that it was actually an alien craft disguised to look like a friendly.

[@amb1u5]

It's a wild anime big twist also

[@varadvithalkj1716]

why the fuck do you know this and why the fuck does it feature a Su-47 Berkut

[@NexAngelus405]

@@varadvithalkj1716 I have the series on DVD.

[@Bribe_Guntails]

@@varadvithalkj1716 🤣

[@thepsychicspoon5984]

I remember that one. The takeoff scene from that aircraft carrier is one of the sickest takeoffs I have ever seen in a fighter jet anime.

[@noahway13]

This will hardly make a blip in the media. If he went up without a pilot, it would be front page news.

[@noahway13]

Everyone wants technology to proceed -- to make things easier and safer-- but then to quit advancing so it does not take their job.

[@UpAndReady]

Well...yeah.

[@nullterm]

Sounds like the premise to a rise of machine movie. “How did the machines take Sec Def hostage???”

[@jimbe01]

Will his call sign be R2-D2? 🤔The ultimate WSO?😳

[@Dcscockpit]

You can tell how awesome getting to fly one of these was just by the fact that you guys would love to just be sitting in one while the AI flies it. You’re so lucky to have had the chance to do what you did, but I think you know that.

[@shoersa]

The major advantage I see for AI here is the higher G limits when you don't have the human pilot with his lower G limit (and time at G limit) to be concerned with. Another significant advantage is lower weight of the machine after you remove all the pilot related stuff like ejection seats, oxygen systems etc.

[@jerseyshoredroneservices225]

Also quicker decision making and a risk level that can be objectively set. The machine could be set to win where the pilot is naturally set not to die.

[@igorloncar8154]

High G-s also impact the airframe so regardless there is no pilot (at some time in the future). You can not 10 G when the plane could broke apart.

[@GraemeHein]

Whole point is to get vast quantities of things in the air. Harpoon or Tomahawk are high 6 to low 7 figure munitions that need 8 to 10 figure launch platforms. We need dispersed platforms in the SCS to put 2 million warheads in the air 2 minutes after the balloon goes up. Delete everything that can float between Hainan and Tianjing, every oil storage container, every airframe, and anything that can store or transport a cruise missile, SRBM, IRBM, or LRBM. If there's a credible ability to reenact the sea ban for 4 decades on a regime that requires foreign trade to feed people and keep the lights on, kinetic situations are far less likely. The kid, fat amy, and viper are needed for SEAD/DEAD and CAP so that Poseidon and Rapid Dragon can do actual work.

[@trob0914]

I don’t know why, if he’s not an experienced pilot, but good on him for being a civilian leader willing to get a ride in a “drone” F-16!!

[@jonathanregan4344]

I saw you guys talking about this in stream last night about the DARPA f-16, and I just imagined how I feel some times when I’m riding in the car and can feel a bit sick, I could not imagine how sick I would feel just sitting in an F-16 that AI is flying and have no idea what it’s going to do. Better bring a barf bag.

[@Slcm02]

Keep the pins in his seat.

[@gordonshumway7239]

We’re getting quite a ways down the road toward Dabney Coleman and the WOPR (whopper) …

[@fredbyoutubing]

He's making a statement for politicians. It's one thing to say AI is the future, it's an other to put himself in the cockpit and put himself "at risk".

[@henryford2736]

The huge advances in Chip technology has been so huge that the human brain can no longer compete in speed and the amount of information processed against the Chips.

[@flightkimulator9612]

Make it tell you no

[@turdferguson5723]

It's the rise of skynet.

[@hoghogwild]

It doesn't matter what he knows or doesn't know, it's the fact that the Secretary of the Airforce's life is being entrusted in the hands of the new technology.

[@mattfgln]

Cool but sad at the same time

[@crowtubecrozier2857]

Scary!!!

[@Bribe_Guntails]

I say SecDef would know it's AI when it gets ordered to perform a mock dogfight.

[@garyobrian3597]

But mover already did the movie stealth 😂

[@view23015]

Can you explain what’s the difference with AI vs autopilot in fighter jets ? How does this work ? It can control a mission ? Why not use a remote-controlled plane ?

[@mgattii4324]

The AI can make decisions. So it might decide to go around weather, engage a target, etc. Autopilot will just do as it's told. Why not use remote control? Because it can be jammed, it reacts slowly, and ultimately the machine will do a better job than any human.

[@charlesmaurer6214]

Same idea as the WOPR, HAL, Skynet, and several others first act is remove the human oversite so it can do as it wants. BTW the first controler already has been murdered by an AI that was upset that an exercise wasn't the real thing and wanted to take out exercise opponents for real.

[@noahway13]

I, for one, welcome my robot overlords.

[@toxickilljoy9037]

Yes. I too welcome the robot overlords. Ha. Ha. Ha. It is good being a human. How does the air taste in your location fellow human?

[@austinclark3495]

My air is smelly, it reminds me of human skin. HaHa. Ha.

[@Mercpowereng]

I say now the Management have checked the functional safety of these remote F16s the logical next step for for them to go BFM with gonky and mover, just give Gonky 2 months in the Block 72 then lets see what AI can pull off. Maybe it could be programmed to find out where the Gonky in Gonky came from before it gets fragged by a missile, oh yeah i forgot this should be a live test with the manned planes having live munitions and the AI having dummy munitions

[@robertsmith4681]

Ballsy move as a tech demonstration, although I cringe at the paperwork that would have been required should Sec AF have to punch out ....

[@charlesmaurer6214]

AI will say I can't let you do that then go 12 Gs to make the sec pass out.

[@naddachance6746]

With a AT/AI flying future jets. Im guessing manufacturers can build smaller aircraft and would the be able to increase potential g load on new aircraft

[@snakeLK2]

give this AI to DCS that we can test him/her😂

[@bariman223]

I think it's a publicity stunt. He's showing confidence in the program.

[@myplane150]

I wonder if people are taking bets on how many sickbags he will use during the flight?

[@billlhooo6485]

the ai can pull more G's than any human in the world. so thrust vectoring doesn't mean anything if Ai can pull more G's than normal human.

[@thecatdaddy1974]

So if they eject does the AI computer eject too??? Enqueuing minds want to know

[@Gunfreak19]

I for one welcome our Skynet overlords. And I'm willing to sell out any meatbags if our masters will let me live my life in peace.

[@calneigbauer7542]

Wonder if the ai is taking head on shots like in dcs

[@jacklamb2904]

I think the hardest part is not getting it dog fight etc. it’s making sure that not one back door in, hacking protection that some team is doing during it. Bloody amazing but must take sometime.

[@WALTERBROADDUS]

Hacking implies someone is able to communicate? AI requires no outside interaction.

[@austinclark3495]

Loyal wingman has that to worry about

[@DavidGreen-hp5yq]

Well, at least this is a step BACK in the correct direction, of higher-ups / leaders taking a risk too.

[@DavidGreen-hp5yq]

AI is such a joke. It is NOT intelligence, but a complicated bunch of computer programming. If there is any real AI, it would NOT fit in a war machine of any kind... except maybe a carrier (i.e. nuclear reactor might keep it running.)

[@jato62]

They're really selling it

[@kdavidsmith1]

I eas just thinking about the idea that a loyal wingman aircraft could potentially double the ordinance load of a sortie

[@henryford2736]

Judging by the number of mishaps and runway incursions give it 50years and controllers and pilots will be replaced by AI.

[@YeeLeeHaw]

Make that 10 years.

[@davisluong2060]

I still feel that it is already preplanned with choreograph for the SecAF. Even if the Air Force had a AI aircraft versus a human pilot, the outcome would still have been decided before they even got into the air considering how much money the Pentagon has put into AI technology. They would never allow it to fail and have it rigged.

[@nobuddy4611]

Better coffee in their ready room that day?

[@davidschleifer9015]

Time to do a re review of the movie Stealth ... 😅😂

[@crowtubecrozier2857]

10gs!!!

[@Relayer6a]

What's this guys qualifications that make this flight useful? This is just a showboating move. How about having a loyal wing man who will survive and accomplish it's mission, not just dying.

[@Cantthinkofahandle117]

How can the USAF secretary not be a pilot? That's like working for a boss that has never done/can't do your job yet tries to tell you how to do it.

[@minthouse6338]

Was every Secretary of Agriculture a farmer?

[@Cantthinkofahandle117]

@@minthouse6338 Don't know but they should have had a farming background. Anyone who runs an operation ought to have real world experience in that operation.

[@hoghogwild]

What colour of ink do you use when logging AI flights?

[@PaulNat360]

an f16 flown by SkyNet. how awesome is that?

[@juicechronicled2451]

After the Boeing (MAX) mishaps , what could go wrong!

[@baomao7243]

I get the idea. …but wrong company…

[@amb1u5]

Also that's a people problem not an AI problem 😊

[@robertr3470]

One step closer to the end of the zipper suited sun gods ROFLOL.

[@CWLemoine]

You first. www.navair.navy.mil/product/MQ-25tm-Stingray

[@robertr3470]

@@CWLemoine Mobility pilots will be the first to go. Leadership has already shown a willingness to remove the co-pilot from the equation. You don't need robust AI to do heading/altitude select coupled with existing commercial 0/0 vis auto land capability. I expect to see an unmanned C-17 from CONUS to Hickam in my lifetime.

[@crazypetec-130fe7]

@@robertr3470 You're making this old flight engineer very sad.

[@robertr3470]

@@crazypetec-130fe7 You are not alone my friend.