WSJ: US Air Force to produce 1,000 unmanned fighter jets with AI
The US Air Force is working on a programme to produce about a thousand pilotless jet fighters with artificial intelligence (AI), TASS reports, with reference to The Wall Street Journal
It is known that the programme’s budget is estimated at $6bn. The Pentagon expects to order 1,000 unmanned fighter jets for this amount, and hundreds of such drones may enter service with the US Army within the next five years. Companies including Anduril Industries, Boeing, General Atomics, Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman are applying for a contract with the US Department of Defence.
According to the plan, fighter drones will accompany and protect crewed aircraft, such as F-35 fighter jets and B-21 bombers. They will also be able to carry their own weapons, strike other aircraft and targets on the ground and perform reconnaissance functions.
The US military has decided to actively use unmanned technologies with AI because of the high costs for the construction of standard military aircraft operated by pilots. Due to the drones, the Pentagon intends to strengthen its Air Force, which has reached its lowest levels since 1947.
