• Investing
  • Stock
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Portfolio Performance Today
Economy

Fighter pilots take directions from AI in Pentagon’s groundbreaking test

by August 27, 2025
by August 27, 2025

For the first time, U.S. fighter pilots took direction from an AI ‘air battle manager’ in a Pentagon test that could change how wars are fought in the skies.

The Air Force and Navy ran the August test using Raft AI’s Starsage tactical control system on F-16s, F/A-18s and F-35s during a joint military exercise designed to evaluate new weapons systems, advanced communications and battle management platforms, Fox News Digital has learned. 

In a typical combat mission, fighter pilots communicate with human air battle managers on the ground. These managers monitor radar, sensor feeds and intelligence to direct pilots on where to fly and how to position their aircraft.

‘We haven’t seen our enemies test any similar technology, so I think this is groundbreaking,’ Raft AI CEO Shubhi Mishra told Fox News Digital in an interview.

She said Starsage both speeds up response time and improves accuracy, allowing pilots to make decisions that once took minutes in just seconds. ‘In the air battle manager’s case, it’s not a one-to-one ratio: one air battle manager is helping several pilots,’ Mishra explained. ‘The autonomous agent we built is one-to-one, at the beck and call of each pilot.’

Air battle managers operate somewhat like air traffic controllers at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), ensuring aircraft don’t collide and remain within safe air corridors. Mishra argued that Starsage could also have prevented the collision between a regional airliner and a Black Hawk helicopter near Ronald Reagan National Airport earlier this year.

‘If the FAA had this technology, that never would have happened,’ she said. ‘It’s just data, and then execution on the data.’ An investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board revealed that the Black Hawk’s pilots never heard the command to ‘pass behind the [commercial regional jet]’ because the transmission was stepped on. The airliner’s pilots were not warned there was a helicopter nearby.

During the test, fighter pilots checked in with Starsage, confirming they were on track with the mission plan. Starsage cross-referenced their reports with its simulated sensor feed and the day’s Air Tasking Order, then announced that the minimum force package had been met, signaling that the required number of aircraft were airborne and ready. Behind the scenes, the AI prepared to digitally update the mission commander and other command-and-control agencies.

A battle manager monitored each scenario, and pilots were able to direct Starsage to call them as needed for human direction. 

Later in the scenario, when pilots requested a threat assessment, Starsage analyzed its feed and issued what’s known as a ‘picture call’ — a snapshot of enemy aircraft formations. In this case, Starsage identified a single heavy group of five adversary aircraft, marking the first time an AI system has provided real-time tactical awareness in the air battle space.

The development comes as defense aviation leaders debate how much longer humans will remain in the cockpit of combat aircraft, and how many future generations of fighter jets the Pentagon will ultimately need. To an AI expert like Mishra, ‘if it’s a life-or-death decision, humans should always be in the loop.’

‘But in terms of the technology being capable of doing this, I think it’s already here,’ she said. ‘The question is, do we let it?’

This post appeared first on FOX NEWS

0 comment
0
FacebookTwitterPinterestEmail

previous post
EPA urged to axe funds for ‘radical’ climate project accused of training judges, state AGs rally
next post
Google Cloud enters $30 trillion payments race with blockchain ledger GCUL

Related Posts

Have Mount Laurel Obligations Made New Jersey Housing...

October 8, 2025

Rent Control Will Make the Housing Crisis Worse

October 8, 2025

Gold’s Acceleration Reveals Vanishing Calm, Coming Change

October 8, 2025

Why the Erosion of Central Bank Independence Matters

October 8, 2025

Oct 7 anniversary: Netanyahu finds unlikely ally amid...

October 8, 2025

Biden didn’t want intel disseminated showing Ukrainian concerns...

October 8, 2025

Cruz clashes with Nigeria over his claims 50,000...

October 8, 2025

House committee withdraws James Comey subpoena for Jeffrey...

October 8, 2025

Trump meets former Hamas hostage Edan Alexander on...

October 8, 2025

Government limps deeper into shutdown crisis with no...

October 8, 2025

Stay updated with the latest news, exclusive offers, and special promotions. Sign up now and be the first to know! As a member, you'll receive curated content, insider tips, and invitations to exclusive events. Don't miss out on being part of something special.

By opting in you agree to receive emails from us and our affiliates. Your information is secure and your privacy is protected.

Recent Posts

  • Sateliot and Nordic Enable First 5G IoT Link from LEO Satellites

    October 8, 2025
  • Have Mount Laurel Obligations Made New Jersey Housing More Affordable? A Synthetic Control Analysis of Housing Supply and Cost

    October 8, 2025
  • Rent Control Will Make the Housing Crisis Worse

    October 8, 2025
  • Gold’s Acceleration Reveals Vanishing Calm, Coming Change

    October 8, 2025
  • Why the Erosion of Central Bank Independence Matters

    October 8, 2025
  • Cristiano Ronaldo joins the billionaire club, net worth hits $1.4B

    October 8, 2025

Editors’ Picks

  • 1

    Meta executives eligible for 200% salary bonus under new pay structure

    February 21, 2025
  • 2

    Walmart earnings preview: What to expect before Thursday’s opening bell

    February 20, 2025
  • 3

    New FBI leader Kash Patel tapped to run ATF as acting director

    February 23, 2025
  • 4

    Cramer reveals a sub-sector of technology that can withstand Trump tariffs

    March 1, 2025
  • 5

    Anthropic’s newly released Claude 3.7 Sonnet can ‘think’ as long as the user wants before giving an answer

    February 25, 2025
  • 6

    Nvidia’s investment in SoundHound wasn’t all that significant after all

    March 1, 2025
  • 7

    Pop Mart reports 188% profit surge, plans aggressive global expansion

    March 26, 2025

Categories

  • Economy (2,816)
  • Editor's Pick (281)
  • Investing (185)
  • Stock (1,920)
  • About us
  • Contact us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions

Copyright © 2025 Portfolioperformancetoday.com All Rights Reserved.

Portfolio Performance Today
  • Investing
  • Stock
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Portfolio Performance Today
  • Investing
  • Stock
  • Economy
  • Editor’s Pick
Copyright © 2025 Portfolioperformancetoday.com All Rights Reserved.

Read alsox

Comey indicted for alleged false statement, obstruction...

September 26, 2025

Vance, Bondi, Patel to huddle at VP...

August 7, 2025

Huckabee hits back at Western countries that...

July 23, 2025