Air Force Research Laboratory touts first successful Valkyrie flight powered by AI

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) conducted its first successful flight of a Valkyrie jet controlled by artificial intelligence (AI) last month, the Air Force announced Thursday.

The three-hour flight on an XQ-58A Valkyrie was completed on July 25 at the Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle, the Air Force said. It was the first successful flight to use AI algorithms that were developed by the AFRL and trained with machine learning (ML). 

“This sortie officially enables the ability to develop AI/ML that will execute modern air-to-air and air-to-surface skills that are immediately transferrable to other autonomy programs,” said Col. Tucker Hamilton, DAF AI Test and Operations chief.

Hamilton said the uncrewed aircraft was able to solve a “tactically relevant ‘challenge problem,’” but did not expand upon the details. 

The Air Force said the algorithms were trained for millions of hours during “high fidelity simulation events, sorties on the X-62 Vista, Hardware-in-the-Loop events with the XQ-58A and ground test operations.”

Earlier this year, AI flew an aircraft based on a F-16 fighter jet for over 17 hours, marking the first time AI was used to fly a tactical aircraft.

“AI will be a critical element to future warfighting and the speed at which we’re going to have to understand the operational picture and make decisions,” said Brig. Gen. Scott Cain, AFRL commander. 

Cain said the AFRL’s AI and machine intelligence is evolving at an “unprecedented pace,” and underscored the need for the government, academia and industry partners to “keep pace.” 

Military and tech experts have underscored the need for Congressional regulations of AI development to ensure it is not misused or weaponized.