The U.S. Air
Force's XQ-58A Valkyrie drone recently accomplished a successful test flight,
showcasing its capability to autonomously perform
aerial combat tasks through cutting-edge artificial intelligence-driven software.
As reported by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL),
the crucial XQ-58A test was conducted at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on July 25.
The three-hour flight took place within the Eglin Test and Training Complex,
a collection of offshore training ranges in the Gulf of Mexico. The test utilized
algorithms developed by AFRL's Autonomous Air Combat Operations (AACO) program team.
Viewers may note that the service announced last November that the base got its first two
Valkyrie drones and assigned them to the 40th Flight Test Squadron.
In this video, Defense Updates analyzes how AI-powered XQ-58A Valkyrie drone
will change warfare? Let's get started.
US Air Force Col. Tucker Hamilton, the service's head of AI Test and Operations,
said in a statement, “The mission proved
out a multi-layer safety framework on an AI/ML [artificial intelligence/machine learning]-flown
uncrewed aircraft and demonstrated an AI/ML agent solving a tactically relevant 'challenge problem'
during airborne operations. This sortie officially enables the ability to develop
AI/ML agents that will execute modern air-to-air and air-to-surface skills."
US Air Force has not disclosed specific details about the exact tasks the XQ-58A accomplished
autonomously using the "AI/MIL agent." The service has repeatedly said that, at least for
the foreseeable future, there will be a human operator who will have the overall control.
This will make sure that things don’t get out of hand.
The July flight test represents a phased approach carefully designed by the service to develop,
refine, and build confidence in AI-driven autonomous capabilities. The ultimate
goal is to transition these technologies from laboratory environments to operational platforms.
As per AFRL, the algorithms used to enable the XQ-58A to operate autonomously in the
July flight test were "matured during millions of hours in high fidelity... simulation events,"
They were then validated across 10 flights where they were loaded onboard the X-62A Variable
Stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft, as well as a heavily modified F-16D Viper.
F-16 Viper autonomy testing is being carried out as part of
VENOM or Viper Experimentation and Next-Gen Operations Mode project.
The U.S. Air Force successfully completed the first-ever test flight
of its new stealth fighter drone, the XQ-58A Valkyrie. On March 5,
the Valkyrie was launched from Yuma Proving Grounds in Arizona and flew for about 76 minutes.
Valkyrie is developed by San Diego-based Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems which was given the
contract by The Air Force Research Laboratory. The project falls under the
Air Force Research Laboratory’s Low-Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) program.
The program is initiated to develop cheaper unmanned tactical aircraft.
Valkyrie is designed to act as a loyal wingman that is controlled by a parent
aircraft to accomplish tasks such as scouting, defensive fire, or absorbing enemy fire.
It has a max speed of around 652 mph or 1050 kph. It can carry two small-diameter
bombs or compact electronic warfare equipment or surveillance systems.
It can take off from a short runway like a plane or can be launched into the air via a rocket.
Future variants could be developed for operation from aircraft carriers.
Valkyrie has 3 aspects that make it a unique platform:
1. It is stealthy.
2. It has a long range of around 3000 miles or 4820 km.
3. It is pretty cheap at only $2-3 million per piece. This means that each drone cost the same
as a single Patriot missile which is not reusable and around 30 of this can be bought for the price
of F 35 which costs around $100 million per aircraft. The cost factor looks even
more promising if we consider that a stealth jet like F-35 has massive maintenance costs.
Close coordination between these uncrewed aircraft
and crewed platforms is a priority for US Air Force and is focused on the CCA effort.
Collaborative Combat Aircraft Program,
or CCA, is a key part of the larger Next Generation Air Dominance or NGAD initiative.
Kendall stated US Air Force leadership has "recently given our planners a
nominal quantity of collaborative combat aircraft to assume for planning purposes.
The planning assumption is 1,000 CCAs,"
He explained, "This figure was derived from an assumed two CCAs for [each of] 200 NGAD platforms,
and an additional two for each of 300 F-35s, for a total of 1,000."
To put this into perspective, such a fleet would
surpass the combined number of the Air Force's F-22 Raptor stealth fighters,
F-15E Strike Eagle combat jets, and A-10 Warthog ground attack aircraft.
Valkyrie is compact in dimension and being stealthy it will be hard to detect and track.
This will make it difficult for air defense systems to engage it.
Since they are low-cost, they can be deployed in large numbers to saturate air defense systems.
A swarm of Valkyrie deployed with different payloads some with Electronic Warfare equipment
and some with guided bombs will be suitable for penetrating highly protected targets.
Even if most are intercepted during a strike, some will get through and knock
off an air defense fortification. Valkyrie's range makes it ideal
for this kind of mission since it can be launched from a standoff distance.
In a battle scenario, it could be dedicatedly used to engage air defense
while stealth fighters like F-35 and F-22 take on enemy fighters. This will greatly
reduce American losses, making it feasible to takeon near-peer rivals like Russia & China.
AI enablement of Valkyrie will greatly augment its combat potential.