U.S. Air Force takes next step toward autonomous combat aircraft

The U.S. Air Force has taken another important step towards the development of autonomous combat aircraft under the program, known as Skyborg.

The 412th Test Wing’s Emerging Technologies Combined Test Force conducted an autonomous test flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California, July 25. The flight’s mission was to test a software suite designed to make unmanned aerial vehicle flight safer.

The TACE test is part of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Skyborg program. The Skyborg program is a developing software tool that allows engineers and researchers to develop autonomous capabilities.