A tactical AI system developed by Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works executed an evasive maneuver in response to a simulated missile threat, reacting in flight without pilot input.
During the exercise, the onboard system detected a surface-to-air missile warning and maneuvered the aircraft, showcasing machine-speed defensive response in a high-threat scenario.
The capability was demonstrated during a US Air Force flight test aboard the X-62A VISTA (Variable In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft), a modified F-16 used as an autonomy testbed.
“The missile signal or warning came in, the pilot didn’t have to do anything, and the aircraft responded in a tactically appropriate way to keep the pilot alive and preserve the aircraft,” said OJ Sanchez, vice president and general manager of Skunk Works.
The test took place at Edwards Air Force Base, California, under the “Have Remy” autonomy experiment, a US Air Force–industry initiative focused on developing tactical AI agents for combat operations.
The program also integrated US Air Force Test Pilot School students into the design and evaluation process, allowing pilots to help shape how AI systems behave under operational conditions.
The demonstration reflects broader Pentagon efforts to integrate AI agents into combat aviation to enable faster decision-making and human-machine teaming in contested airspace, including recent tests in which AI pilot software flew US Navy aircraft in simulated combat.
