The U.S. Air Force wants 1,000 winged drones to work together with fighter jets
What is known
The US Air Force has requested $50 for fiscal year 2024 (FY)million for a program called Viper Experimenting and Next-gen Operations Model or Profect VENOM, to put it simply. The new project involves the transformation of six fourth-generation aircraft into drones. To do this, they will receive special software.
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The software will be able to control the aircraft without participationpilot. Project VENOM will allow the US Air Force to test in practice how effective such systems can be in the air and what benefits they will bring.
In the initial stages, the pilot will be incockpit and, if necessary, will be able to take control. The US Air Force has drawn a parallel with Tesla's self-driving cars that have traveled millions of miles, but until now, when the autopilot is activated, the driver is forbidden to take his hands off the wheel and go about his business during the trip.
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The US Air Force intends to develop the program severalyears. The service wants to invest $17-19 million annually in Project VENOM between FY2025 and FY2028. This means that the total cost of the program will reach $120 million over 5 years.
Project VENOM will be a transitional step towardscreation of combat drones of joint action. They are being developed as part of the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The US Air Force wants to get 1000 drones for the sixth generation fighter (200 units) and F-35 Lightning II (300 units), i.e. the pilot of each aircraft will fly two drones.
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Note that the Pentagon is already developing a project in which the F-16 flies without human intervention. Recently, artificial intelligence controlled a modified F-16 aircraft for 17 hours.