July 27, 2020 | Local, Aerospace
24 Jul 2020
Military.com | By Oriana Pawlyk
Four defense companies have been selected to begin work on the U.S. Air Force's Skyborg program, which aims to pair artificial intelligence with a human piloting a fighter jet.
The service chose Boeing Co., General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc., Kratos Unmanned Aerial Systems Inc., and Northrop Grumman Systems Corp. to move forward on the program; however, the companies will be competing for the indefinite-delivery, indefinite-quantity contract, estimated to be worth up to $400 million, according to an announcement.
The autonomous Skyborg is intended for reusable unmanned aerial vehicles in a manned-unmanned teaming mission; the drones are considered "attritable," or cheap enough that they can be destroyed without significant cost.
"Because autonomous systems can support missions that are too strenuous or dangerous for manned crews, Skyborg can increase capability significantly and be a force multiplier for the Air Force," said Brig. Gen. Dale White, program executive officer for Fighters and Advanced Aircraft. White and Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle, commander of the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), together lead the Skyborg program.
"We have the opportunity to transform our warfighting capabilities and change the way we fight and the way we employ air power," White said in a release.
"Autonomy technologies in Skyborg's portfolio will range from simple playbook algorithms to advanced team decision making and will include on-ramp opportunities for artificial intelligence technologies," added Pringle. "This effort will provide a foundational Government reference architecture for a family of layered, autonomous and open-architecture unmanned aerial [systems]."
Skyborg is one of three initiatives in the service's Vanguard Program portfolio for rapid prototyping and development of new-age technologies it can leverage for multiple operations. The Vanguard program brings together the research lab and the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center to "quickly identify cutting-edge technology and transition directly into the hands of the warfighter," the release states.
The Air Force launched the bidding process for Skyborg in May; it expects Skyborg's initial operation to be ready by the end of 2023.
Dr. Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics, first spoke of the Air Force Research Lab-led program last year.
He told reporters during the 2019 McAleese Conference that, while it is reminiscent of the Air Force's proposed Loyal Wingman program to send out drones ahead of fighters to act as scouts, Skyborg will take the concept even further, with an AI plane that trains with its pilot, acting as a sidekick, rapidly thinking through problems and taking command if necessary.
In short, it's R2-D2 from "Star Wars" in an aircraft of its very own, he said.
"I might eventually decide, 'I want that AI in my own cockpit,'" Roper said. "So if something happened immediately, [the AI] could take hold, make choices in a way that [a pilot would] know because [a pilot has] trained with it."
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Canada Economic Development for Québec Regions (CED-Q) is pleased to inform you of the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) MQ-9B SkyGuardian Strategic Industry Engagements. As part of their commitment to Canada and Canadian industry, GA-ASI will interview companies in relation with the National defense Remotely piloted aircraft system project (RPAS). Canadian companies with proven aerospace and defense capabilities and able to provide technologies in the following areas are invited to register: Aircraft Operations & Maintenance (O&M) Sensor Data Processing, Exploitation and Dissemination (PED) Airborne Sensors/Payloads Global Supply Chain for aircraft components & manufacturing Unmanned Aircraft Research and Development (R&D) related projects You are invited to submit a request to participate and include your company profile and additional information requested in the Participation Request form at: https://www.ga-asi.com/canada-industry-engagement. These strategic industry engagements are only open to Canadian companies. Companies that have submitted a request to participate will be reviewed by GA-ASI. Those selected to discuss their company's capabilities and a potential project will be sent a formal invitation with details and a time to meet with GA-ASI's subject matter experts. Registration will be open from August 19 - October 03, 2020. Companies will be notified the first week of October on whether they are selected. Selected Canadian companies will have the opportunity to sit down and have business to business meetings with GA-ASI personnel to discuss their company's capabilities and opportunities to work with GA-ASI. Please review the GA-ASI overview presentation prior to submitting your request to participate. Thank you and we look forward to your involvement in the industry event. For additional information, please feel free to email: CED-Q : mathieu.trudelle2@canada.ca GA-ASI at: GA-ASI-in-Canada@ga-asi.com