Next-generation RAF fighter to have AI-assisted operation

RAF's new fighter, the Tempest, will consist of AR, VR and AI components to operate the plane with the pilot

UK's future fighter jet, the Tempest, will include a combination of AR, VR, and AI in the flight control system and the cockpit will have no physical switches or screens, as the advanced systems will attempt to read the pilot's minds to monitor their condition and surroundings.

Unlike drones, the Tempest will not be completely automated but will require a combination of human and machine control, referred to as "scalable autonomy".

BBC reported that the pilot's helmet will have sensors and will use them and the AI to analyse brain signals. The AI will also have the ability to take control if the pilot is under stress or unconscious.

The RAF website states that the cockpit technology will use eye tracking to observe the pilot's status, especially if they are exhausted or strained. The AI, VR, and AR are expected to collect and process data, curating information that reaches the pilot to optimize situational awareness.

Test flights of the new fighter jet will begin in 2027 and it might be deployed by 2035.