The U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (USAF TPS) at Edwards Air Force Base in California has taken a leap into the future of air power with the flight of the Lockheed Martin VISTA X-62A, a one-of-a-kind training aircraft, by an artificial intelligence (AI) agent for over 17 hours. This marks the first time that AI has been utilized on a tactical aircraft.

The VISTA (Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft) was created through a collaboration between Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® and Calspan Corporation, and is equipped with software that can imitate the performance of other aircraft. The U.S. Air Force has enhanced the aircraft with the latest VISTA Simulation System (VSS) provided by Calspan, as well as Lockheed Martin’s Model Following Algorithm (MFA) and System for Autonomous Control of the Simulation (SACS). The integration of these systems enables VISTA to carry out advanced flight tests that highlight AI and autonomy.

According to Dr. M. Christopher Cotting, the director of research at the USAF TPS, “VISTA will enable us to concurrently develop and test cutting-edge AI techniques and new uncrewed vehicle designs, resulting in the rapid maturation of autonomy for uncrewed platforms and delivery of tactically relevant capabilities to our warfighters.”

The SACS system is powered by the Skunk Works Enterprise-wide Open Systems Architecture (E-OSA) and includes advanced sensors, a Multi-Level Security solution, and tablet displays in both cockpits. These enhancements to VISTA’s capabilities allow for quick software changes, increasing the frequency of flight tests and speeding up the development of AI and autonomy.

For years, Lockheed Martin has been using AI technologies to enhance performance, safety, and situational awareness for its customers. With VISTA playing a crucial role in the rapid development of AI and autonomy capabilities for the U.S. Air Force, flights are set to resume at Edwards Air Force Base in 2023 after routine inspections are completed.