In December 2022, the U.S. Air Force successfully flew an AI-controlled jet fighter, X-62A VISTA (Variable Stability In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft) completing over 17 hours of flight testing and advanced fighter maneuvers. The AI-controlled tactical aircraft, the first of its kind, represents the most curious revolution in sky warfare.

The AI fighter jet is the next big thing in Artificial Intelligence. It’s not just the veritable tool for sky warfare domination, but also a path for the advancement of the Internet of sky battlefield of things.

From fighter aircraft to choppers, refuelers to AWAcs, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) to spy satellite equipment, the integration of AI and machine learning capabilities have shown that machines can be endowed with a human-like brain to think, judge, act, and perform real-time functions in a complex environment. Given its network of sensors, intelligence gathering, wearable technology, and auxiliary robots, an AI fighter jet, for example, can execute tighter turns, take greater risks and get off better shots than human pilots.

The X-62A VISTA example has shown that the introduction of virtual screens to the plane’s cockpit is the first step in this AI integration. The knowledge built into AI enhances the operational competence of the fighter on air while the AI’s cognitive framework enables the aircraft to sense qualitative changes in the sky and make quick decisions in real time.

Navigation of extreme hot/cold temperatures and environments at varying altitudes is made possible through the use of neural networks and algorithms which take the aircraft and environment into full cognizance. AI-powered aircraft are designed to operate autonomously without GPS communications or a pilot, making use instead of intelligent systems.

Another key feature that the AI autopilot brings is swarm warfare technology, which involves the deployment of multiple fighter jets to communicate and coordinate with one another in carrying out missions. This has the potential to reduce not only threat response in real time, but greatly improve flexibility and sky adaptability to the point of even outperforming humans in reaction speed.

The United States opened new frontiers in AI space warfare innovation and advancement with its successful testing of the X-62A VISTA AI fighter jet, but China remains the nation to beat as it presently leads in AI publications and research patents globally and was able to show that an AI Unmanned Aerial Vehicle exhibited superior performance over a human-operated drone. So far, several gains have been made on account of all the work done in this field; here are some of those gains:

Up to this point, the successful test run shows that AI fighter jets can operate with increased autonomy and minimal human intervention, allowing for the execution of complex missions like jamming enemy air defense networks, surveillance, reconnaissance, and targeted strikes with greater precision and efficiency.

AI algorithms used for autopilots have rapid and real-time decision-making capabilities in war situations or hostile environments which will enable offensive or defensive resolutions with greater efficiency. These algorithms continuously learn and adapt as they operate and can self-upgrade to address or escalate a conflict. They are also able to achieve improved systems collaboration and enhanced resiliency.

Unarguably, AI neural networks have proven to be effective in the communication optimization roles of data collection, storage, and control. Their integration into fighter aircraft will be incalculably invaluable in the extraction of hidden strategic information from such data. This will reduce institutional workload and lead to the creation of a resilient and highly-automated database.

The environment of operation of fighter jets is comparatively simple and free from physical obstacles like a pedestrian crossing, roadblocks, and road signs, leading to a reduction of avoidable collisions, accidents, and even fatalities.

AI-piloted fighter jets are unable to handle complex aviation-specific challenges resulting from traffic control, cybersecurity, real-time factors, and the certifications of critical systems. In the absence of human pilots, results from such complications are bound to be fatal.

AI use for sky warfare might cause an endless cycle of cyberspace attacks. In the absence of a strong security firewall, hackers can get into the brain and internal network of the aircraft to attempt a reconfigure. Not only will this lead to model drift and spoofing in the hands of persons inclined to violence, but the AI could also be reprogrammed to wreak unimaginable havoc on humanity.

Limited computing resources on an aircraft can severely undermine the AI pilot’s performance in the sky. In addition, huge dynamics, strong real-time characteristics, and a larger solution space make aircraft air combat confrontation very difficult.

The advancement in nanotechnology research, it is hoped, will herald the evolution of small-sized, highly-portable, and operationally-efficient nanorobots which can be integrated into sky war machines like fighter jets, Unmanned Aerial Vehicles, or guided cruise missiles to achieve better results in sky warfare.

The integration of war games, target recognition capabilities, guided missiles, and autonomous weapons system as well as analysis of warfare threats and situations with AI and machine learning systems will enhance the air combat capabilities of autopilots even as they self-upgrade on top of existing models.

The introduction of AI in sky warfare has become a deciding factor of our era, the information age of the 21st century. From the specialized-mechanized activity of today, AI is turning wars into intelligent, robotized, and digitized conflict, effectively setting a new paradigm where AI superiority becomes the true measure of power and presents very huge potential which must be harnessed to the fullest.

While many nations have queued into this project with the US and China blazing the trail, whichever of the two emerges to lead this new revolution in space will not just become the winner of the Second Space Race but also the ultimate champion of this internet of sky battlefield of things. By then, AI must have been crowned the King of the Sky.