DARPA and USAF fly frontline F-16 under AI control at Eglin under VENOM autonomy program
A frontline US Air Force F-16 just flew combat maneuvers with an AI agent, not a human, at the controls. DARPA disclosed the VENOM test at Eglin on July 16. A safety pilot can take control back, and the jet never flies without a human aboard. Per DARPA and FlightGlobal.
A frontline US Air Force F-16 just flew combat maneuvers with an artificial-intelligence agent, not a human, at the controls. DARPA disclosed the milestone at Eglin Air Force Base on July 16 under a program called VENOM. What separates this from earlier autonomy work is the aircraft itself. Rather than a purpose-built drone, VENOM uses production F-16s fitted with an aftermarket kit that lets a pilot switch between traditional human controls and autonomous flight with the flip of a single switch, and take control back instantly. Engineers earlier added an automatic throttle so the software can command engine thrust as well as the flight-control surfaces, giving the AI agent authority over the full envelope. The modified jets began shakeout flights in June to confirm the upgrades were safe, then moved to letting the agent fly the aircraft in the air during July. The Air Force has been firm on one boundary: VENOM aircraft will not fly without a human aboard, and the safety pilot can activate or terminate the AI in real time. The significance is that autonomous air-combat software is now being proven against the real limits, sensors and mission systems of a frontline fighter, not a simulator or a drone surrogate. According to DARPA and FlightGlobal.