The advantages of AI pilots are highlighted, overload handling is more efficient, and combat effectiveness is significantly improved

In the scorching summer of 2020, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency once again set off a frenzy of flight simulation competition. This time, a total of eight elite R&D teams, including the famous Loma company, all came together to compete against each other, and it was remarkable that in this fierce battle, the AI stood out with its extraordinary aiming skills, and won a landslide 5-0 victory over the Air National Guard pilots of the District of Columbia, who have more than 2,000 hours of F16 flight experience.

Why were AI pilots able to defeat human pilots twice in a row? After in-depth analysis, the GI believes that AI has shown a unique and significant advantage in air combat, that is, it is free from the shackles of the flesh. Imagine flying at an astonishing speed of 2,415 kilometers per hour at an altitude of up to 12,200 meters, and the slightest mistake by a human pilot can pose a huge risk. AI is different, as it can quickly and accurately consider and coordinate tactical plans in such a dynamic, complex environment, and react an astonishing 250 times faster than humans. AI pilots are not only able to reduce the occurrence of mistakes, but also make more informed and accurate decisions in battle.

This flight simulation competition not only highlights the huge potential of AI in the field of air combat, but also provides a new idea and direction for the future development of military technology. We have reason to believe that AI will play an increasingly important role in the future battlefield and contribute to the defense of national security.

In an air combat scenario, once the pilot spotted an enemy aircraft, he had to quickly and accurately maneuver according to the current position and situation of both sides to compete for the best combat position. This involves precise control of altitude and bearing, as well as keen insight and flexible response to changes in the speed, altitude and direction of enemy aircraft. However, it is not easy to achieve just the right maneuver, flight and adjustment. Acting too early may reveal one's intentions, while reacting too slowly can result in the loss of valuable opportunity. Therefore, pilots can only rely on their experience and try their best to make the best decisions in the rapidly changing air combat.

Although some experienced ace pilots were able to perform quite well and have a relatively high probability of winning, they still couldn't avoid the occasional miss. After all, there are so many variables and uncertainties in air combat that even the best pilots can miss a critical moment.

In contrast, AI pilots are able to use on-board sensors to collect battlefield information in real time and continuously respond optimally. Although there is a certain delay in the decision-making process of AI, its reaction speed and operational accuracy far exceed that of humans. Experimental data shows that it usually takes 0.3 seconds for humans to react to the actions of enemy aircraft in terms of anticipation and reaction speed, while AI pilots can make quick decisions in milliseconds.

What's more, when the fighter plane dives from high altitude to low altitude and circles, the AI pilot can still maintain superb aiming ability, which is almost unattainable by human pilots. AI pilots are able to achieve the ultimate in every aspect of air combat, so as to seize the opportunity in the transition between space and time, and lay a solid foundation for victory.

Secondly, because human pilots are limited by flesh and blood and their own physiological conditions, they face an insurmountable threshold due to the constraints of overload value. Although human pilots are able to withstand a considerable degree of overload in a short period of time with the assistance of anti-load suits and high-pressure masks, it is extremely difficult for the human body to be in a high-load state above level 9 for a long time. When the human body is in this extreme state, the heart is unable to effectively maintain blood circulation, which can lead to a rapid blackout curtain in front of the pilot's eyes, followed by fainting, which may eventually lead to the failure of vital organs due to ischemia, or even life-threatening.

AI pilots don't have any concerns about this. Even against the same aircraft, the AI is able to extend the overload time as much as possible without being limited by overload, thus demonstrating higher maneuverability than human piloting. This continuous maneuver with large overloads not only does not cause any damage to the AI, but instead has a cumulative effect, making the AI's advantage in air combat more and more obvious.

The advantages of AI pilots in overload handling allow them to perform maneuvers more flexibly and efficiently in air combat, which is unmatched by human pilots. This advantage is not only reflected in single-aircraft operations, but also plays an important role in multi-aircraft cooperative operations, further improving the combat effectiveness of the entire team.

In the end, it's about the accumulation of driving experience. As a non-living entity, the AI does not need to rest, and as long as the server remains powered on, it can continuously increase its flying skills and experience. For example, the AI that recently defeated the veteran pilot of the US military with a score of 5-0 in a flight simulation competition, for example, has undergone at least 4 billion simulation training sessions from the end of 2019 to the end of the competition in August 2020. This figure, converted into human flight experience, is equivalent to 30 years of F16 fighter flight experience. Although it initially simulated the flight of F15 fighters, its excellent learning ability allowed it to quickly master the operation skills of the F16 in a short time before the competition, easily defeating the ace pilots with rich combat experience.

With the continuous progress of technology and the wide application of AI in the field of flight, will the pilots of the US Air Force in the future be gradually replaced by AI, or even all retirement? This issue is not only related to the development of technology, but also involves many aspects such as military strategy, personnel placement, and future warfare patterns, which deserve our in-depth discussion and attention.

On the issue of relying entirely on AI to fly advanced fighters such as the F16 and F22, we must first be clear about the fact that manned fighter jets will never be completely replaced by AI in the foreseeable future. At present, the simulation competition of man-machine confrontation is actually carried out in a specific and limited scenario. These scenarios are often confined to simple one-on-one confrontations, and take place mainly within visual range, which is far less complex than a real-life air combat environment. In such an environment, the advantages of AI in terms of information observability and response speed may not be significant, and man-machine cooperative operations, rather than relying entirely on AI, may be a more reasonable and efficient mode of air combat in the future.