The Americans first tested a prototype artificial intelligence system for unmanned Skyborg wingmen in flight. According to the US Air Force, the "brain" was installed on the UTAP-22 tactical drone of the Kratos company. The tests were successful.
The US military announced the Skyborg tender last spring. It involves the creation of relatively cheap unmanned wingmen and a "brain" for them — an artificial intelligence system that will control such devices. It is planned to adopt unmanned wingmen in 2023.
Kratos is one of three companies that have signed contracts with the US Air Force to build and conduct flight tests of prototypes of unmanned Skyborg wingmen. Under the terms of the agreement, all prototypes must be ready by the end of May, and flight tests must begin no later than July. Also in July [...], the US Air Force research laboratory is going to test unmanned wingmen on military exercises.
On April 29, the US Air Force first tested an artificial intelligence system for unmanned Skyborg wingmen in flight at Tyndall Base in Florida. The "brain" was installed on the UTAP-22 drone of the Kratos company. The test lasted two hours and 10 minutes. His goal was to determine that the "brain" can safely control an unmanned wingman. The test was successful: the system responded to navigation commands and adjusted to the flight mode ranges. In the next tests, the military is going to demonstrate the interaction of a team of drones under the control of the Skyborg artificial intelligence system with combat aircraft.
The" brain " of the unmanned slave will be tested on other devices. Earlier, we wrote about the General Atomics contract with the US Air Force for the modification of two Avenger jet unmanned aerial vehicles in such a way that they could test the Skyborg artificial intelligence system.
Vasilisa Chernyavtseva
