USAF’s Top Gun AI Links F-16 Pilots with Valkyrie Drones in MUM-T Milestone

The U.S. Air Force has taken a significant step toward operationalizing manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) by pairing an F-16 fighter pilot with an autonomous XQ-58A Valkyrie drone during recent flight tests. Under the aegis of the Air Force’s Skyborg and Autonomous Combat Operations (ACO) programs, this integration marks a critical advancement in the development of collaborative combat aircraft (CCA) and AI-enabled air warfare.

F-16 and Valkyrie Fly Together: A New Chapter in Combat Aviation

In a recent test conducted at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 85th Test and Evaluation Squadron flew in formation with an autonomous XQ-58A Valkyrie drone. The test was part of the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model (VENOM) program—a USAF initiative to integrate artificial intelligence into fighter operations.

The XQ-58A, developed by Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, is a stealthy unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) designed under the Low Cost Attritable Aircraft Technology (LCAAT) program. Its role is to operate as a “loyal wingman,” extending the reach and survivability of manned aircraft while conducting ISR missions or kinetic strikes independently or semi-autonomously.

This test validated not only secure data links between platforms but also confirmed that onboard AI could make real-time decisions based on mission parameters without human intervention—an essential milestone for future CCAs envisioned under the USAF’s Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) architecture.

Skyborg Autonomy Core System Powers Tactical Decision-Making

The autonomy backbone enabling this teaming is Skyborg—the USAF’s modular autonomy core system designed to be integrated across multiple unmanned platforms. Skyborg provides mission-level autonomy including threat recognition, navigation through contested environments, sensor fusion, and target prioritization.

During the flight test, Skyborg allowed the Valkyrie to interpret mission objectives transmitted from the F-16 pilot or ground command and execute them autonomously. The system also demonstrated adaptive behavior—reacting to simulated threats without explicit commands—indicating progress toward trusted autonomy in dynamic air combat scenarios.

This aligns with DoD-wide efforts to develop machine learning models that can function effectively under electronic warfare conditions where GPS or comms may be degraded or denied. The goal is not full autonomy but supervised autonomy—where human pilots act as mission commanders while drones execute delegated tasks.

VENOM Program: Accelerating Human-AI Integration

The VENOM program serves as both a technical demonstrator and doctrinal incubator for integrating AI into tactical aviation units. With three modified F-16s equipped for autonomous systems testing expected to join Eglin AFB by late 2024, VENOM aims to refine how pilots interact with AI agents during high-tempo operations.

Objective: Develop tactics for human-machine collaboration under real-world constraints
Testbed: Modified Block 30/40/50 F-16s equipped with open mission systems architecture
Timeline: Initial operational testing through 2025; integration into NGAD CCA roadmap post-validation

The program also explores cockpit interface design for managing multiple unmanned assets simultaneously—a key challenge as future fighter pilots may command swarms of drones rather than fly solo sorties.

XQ-58A Valkyrie: A Stealthy Workhorse for Future Combat Teams

The Kratos XQ-58A is central to these experiments due to its affordability (~$6 million per unit), modular payload capacity (~272 kg internal + ~544 kg external), and runway-independent launch capability via rocket-assisted takeoff. It has a range exceeding 3,900 km and can cruise at high subsonic speeds (~Mach 0.85).

Its low-RCS design allows it to penetrate contested airspace alongside fifth-generation fighters like the F-35 or NGAD platforms without compromising signature management. The platform can carry EO/IR sensors, radar payloads, EW pods or precision-guided munitions depending on mission configuration.

The USAF has already flown over a dozen test flights since its first launch in March 2019 at Yuma Proving Ground. In August 2023, one XQ-58A successfully released another small drone mid-flight—a key demonstration of swarm-launch capability from UCAVs.

Tactical Implications: Toward Distributed Lethality in Air Combat

MUM-T architectures like those tested between F-16s and Valkyries are foundational to achieving distributed lethality—a concept where offensive capabilities are dispersed across multiple nodes rather than concentrated on single high-value platforms. This enhances survivability against anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) threats such as S-400 SAMs or PLA long-range interceptors.

A single fighter commanding two or more UCAVs can saturate enemy defenses via multi-vector attacks while minimizing risk to human pilots. Moreover, expendable drones can perform high-risk ISR missions inside contested zones where manned aircraft would be vulnerable or politically constrained.

This paradigm shift also enables dynamic kill chains where sensor-to-shooter timelines are compressed through machine-speed decision-making—critical against near-peer adversaries deploying hypersonics or advanced IADS networks.

Next Steps: From Test Flights to Operational Doctrine

The USAF plans continued MUM-T testing through FY2025 under both VENOM and Skyborg frameworks before transitioning validated technologies into NGAD’s CCA family—expected to enter service by early 2030s alongside optionally crewed sixth-gen fighters.

A parallel effort is underway within DARPA’s ACE (Air Combat Evolution) project which focuses on dogfighting-level AI decision-making aboard modified LIFT aircraft such as L39 Albatros derivatives flown autonomously at Edwards AFB since early 2023.

If successful, these programs could redefine airpower doctrine where humans become battle managers overseeing fleets of intelligent machines executing complex missions across domains—from suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD) to electronic attack coordination—all within seconds of detection-to-engagement cycles enabled by edge computing onboard drones like Valkyrie.

Conclusion: Toward Human-AI Symbiosis in Future Warfare

The recent pairing of an F-16 pilot with an autonomous XQ-58A marks more than just a technical achievement—it signals doctrinal evolution toward human-AI symbiosis on tomorrow’s battlefield. As adversaries field increasingly sophisticated anti-air capabilities and unmanned assets of their own, maintaining decision superiority will depend not only on faster jets but smarter teammates—human or otherwise.