The first three F-16 Fighting Falcons loaded with self-flying technology have arrived at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Known as Venom, the program aims to test autonomous technology on both crewed and uncrewed aircraft to create a fleet of self-flying drones that can collaborate with crewed fighters in battle.
The Air Force hopes to have at least 1,000 collaborative combat aircraft (CCAs) that can work alongside aircraft like the F-35. These drone wingmen would carry weapons to strike enemy targets, jam signals, or perform reconnaissance missions.
The service has invested nearly $50 million in Project Venom and plans to modify six F-16s for testing. The program is expected to receive additional funding in the coming years for further development and testing.
When ready, the self-flying F-16s will be tested with human pilots in the cockpit. The pilots will take off with the jets, fly them to the testing location, then allow the autonomous programming to take over in midair. A human component will always be present to start or stop the autonomous algorithms as needed.
