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U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighter Flies Under AI Control as DARPA Expands VENOM Combat Tests

The U.S. Air Force and DARPA have begun flying an F-16 under artificial-intelligence control at Eglin Air Force Base, a test effort DARPA disclosed on July 16, 2026. The VENOM program gives developers a combat-representative platform for testing autonomous air-combat software against real aircraft limits, sensors, and mission systems. During June flight operations, a safety pilot could transfer control between the cockpit and the AI agent through a dedicated switch. This approach allows rapid evaluation of autonomous flight and combat functions while preserving human oversight, supporting the wider development of survivable crewed-uncrewed air operations. Read more...

A U.S. Air Force F-16 modified under the VENOM program flies under AI control at Eglin Air Force Base, supporting tests of autonomous maneuvering, sensor management, and future collaborative air-combat operations (Picture source: U.S. DoW).





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