Flying Tactical AI From Classroom to Cockpit
For decades, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works® has been synonymous with daring aerospace breakthroughs. Today that daring spirit is being directed toward a new frontier — tactical artificial intelligence that can decide, act, and adapt alongside human pilots. A tangible example of this vision unfolded through the Have Remy Test Management Project (TMP), a close‑knit partnership between Skunk Works engineers and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School (TPS).
A Rapid, Hands‑On AI Development Cycle
The core of Have Remy is integrating TPS students into the design, test, and evaluation of autonomous agents over an accelerated development timeline where they:
Defined a missile‑evasion scenario, demanding split‑second decision‑making and 3D maneuvering at the limits of the VISTA flight-envelope.
Shaped training of the AI in hours, with billions of simulated missions utilizing Skunk Works’ Supermassive simulation engine.
Guided development of the AI using a high-fidelity F-16 simulator that allowed virtual testing prior to live execution.
Provided feedback on novel AI monitoring algorithms that characterize AI agents’ replication of simulated performance in the real-world.
TPS students experienced first‑hand how AI moves from theory to flight‑ready capability, while Skunk Works engineers leveraged access to the USAF X-62A VISTA high-performance autonomy testbed to evaluate their technology.
X‑62A VISTA: A Historic First for Lockheed Martin AI
The X‑62A VISTA (Variable In‑flight Simulator Test Aircraft), a modified F‑16 equipped with high‑performance computing and sensor suites, has never before hosted a Lockheed Martin AI system with direct control of the aircraft. In over 100 test points, TPS students flew the agents under real‑world conditions, demonstrating robust sim-to-real transfer of the autonomous missile‑evasion capability.
Fly-Fix-Fly
Continuous refinement of AI performance was enabled by Skunk Works’ ability to recreate the observed real-world AI behavior in simulation. AI engineers demonstrated the ability to develop, debug, and test updates in hours – pushing updates to VISTA in the field with confidence that the system would perform as expected. This real-to-sim transfer capability allows engineers to immediately integrate lessons learned from live flight into the AI autonomy stack.
Advancing Human-Machine Teaming
The Have Remy TMP showcases Lockheed Martin’s unique ability to develop and test highly competent tactical AI while leveraging a hands‑on partnership that brings Air Force TPS students directly into the AI development loop. By proving that autonomous agents can be safely monitored, understood, and controlled in real time, we are turning the vision of human‑machine teaming into an operational reality – making future missions safer, more effective and decisively dominant.