The sixth generation fighter, created as part of the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) project for the US Air Force (Air Force), is likely to receive a co-pilot, represented by artificial intelligence (AI) systems. The details of the relevant program were revealed by the Procurement Assistant to the Minister of the Air Force Will Roper , Popular Mechanics writes and Breaking Defense.
The manager is confident that the NGAD plane “will have an AI co-pilot, perhaps even [a chess-playing AI system] ARTUµ.” According to him, the AI system will play a supporting role in relation to the human pilot. Roper noted that the main vulnerability of AI systems lies in their logic, while real military actions may not obey the latter, which will require a human presence to make decisions in non-standard situations.
In October, in the publication of Breaking Defense, one of the threats that can reduce funding for the NGAD program, aircraft of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II were named.
In September, Roper said that The Pentagon in secrecy within the framework of the NGAD program designed, built and at least once lifted an X-plane demonstrator into the air, which means, in particular, a new generation unmanned or manned aircraft, including a sixth generation fighter.