Venom will modify six F-16cs to independent planes to accelerate the autonomous ruling programs test on non-engraved aircraft.
The US Air Force is advancing with a VIPER test model and the next generation operating model-Self-Aviation Test, or Poison, which will adjust six F-16cs to an independent plane. On April 1, 2025, the last modification plane arrived in Eglin Air Force Base. Florida.
Merging autonomy into F-16
The first three snakes arrived at Eglin last year in April and are currently undergoing software, hardware and devices that will be allowed at the end. Self -government agents The aircraft. The physical change mentioned by the service is to include automatic installation, which will allow autonomy to organize the payment, while flying surfaces will be dealt with by a computer control system.
“The amendment of the plane is the result of a strict design stage and one step is approaching us from testing the autonomy on a fighter plane with real important systems and capabilities,” said Major Trent McMolin, Head of the Advanced Capacity Department in the Archburdehood Squadron.
While modifications are made to aircraft, the autonomous system is tested “continuously in modeling and simulation environments that are fastest in countless aircraft scenarios,” He said the service. The press statement also states that “the simulation began in 2024 and included individual combat trips and now two on two on two, which also includes” visual range and visual missions. “
“This simulation provides an effective way to train autonomy to learn complex air fighting tactics.” McMulin said. “A specific scenario can be turned on 1000 times, and the differences and decisions taken throughout this task can then be studied. We can then make recommendations to developers on how to improve autonomy and public performance behaviors.”
The press statement also described the following steps from Vena programWhich includes testing devices and programs in the episode, which was conducted in simulation. As for the program, the goal is to ensure that the autonomy of the poison is related to it and communicates with the plane system, while the goal of the devices is to ensure that the autonomy cannot exceed its limits or bypass the flight envelope, and thus ensure safety.
In the end, this test will confirm independent orders breaking the plane or pilot, according to McMullen, as well as examining how to manage the aggressive aircraft exercises within the limits of physical and physiological safety of the pilot. In fact, once the poison moves to the flight test, a test pilot will be on board to oversee the flight with the ability to start independence and stop it in the actual time.
Once you examine and survey software and devices, the poison program will move to the fully modified F-16 test, according to the service. To accelerate the program, similar to most F-16 and F-15 test in eglinThe poison program will undergo simultaneous developmental and operational tests.
“The presence of both DT and OT pilgrims working from the same site allows daily cooperation and reduces the stove tubes from knowledge and lessons learned,” said Litanant Collonel Jeremy Castor, the driving test of the poison.
Because of these efforts, the service says that the first fully modified plane may be ready to start the test within just 18 months of the first F-16S to reach EGLIN. This would put the date of the start of the test in October 2025.
“With the approaching of the first Venom program, we are excited to test the autonomous solutions. The steps we have seen in the simulation environment indicate that the poison will help enhance the weather combat capabilities of future and immovable platforms,” McMouleine said.
What is poison
Venom-Aft, or VIPER experimentation and the operations model of the following generation-Self-Aviation Test, is a designer and financing program to accelerate the test of autonomy programs on covered and unrestricted aircraft, complements self-government data, artificial intelligence experimenting in EGLIN and reporting aircraft Cooperative combat aircraft Other autonomy program and developers.
“The Venom program represents a pivotal chapter in the advancement of air combat capabilities. This transformative program carries the ability to redefine air combat models by enhancing new independent functions of current and future platforms,” said Major Ross Eder. “We look forward to crowning years of engineering and cooperation, as the poison leads a measured step towards a new era of flying.”
A total of six F-16cs will be modified in testing platforms for rapidly independent capacity assessing and undergoing development and operational test through the forty-fly test squadron, testing and evaluation 85. However, the plane will not be The drone crew like QF-16Also, pilots will always be in the cockpit to monitor autonomy and ensure the achievement of the goals of flying and important systems.
“It is important to understand the” human side on the episode “for this type of test, and this means that the pilot will participate in self -rule in real time and maintain the ability to start the specific algorithms and stop them.” “There will be no time when the poison plane will fly only without a human element.”