VENOM-AFT

The U.S. Air Force is advancing its next-generation air combat capabilities with the arrival of the final F-16 fighter jet designated for the VENOM-AFT program—short for Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed—at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. According to the Air Force, the VENOM program supports the development of Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA), unmanned systems intended to operate alongside manned fighters in coordinated missions. The initiative also aligns with ongoing research into MUM-T (Manned-Unmanned Teaming) operations. So far, three of the six VENOM-designated F-16s are undergoing extensive modifications, including software and hardware changes, instrumentation integration, and the installation of auto-throttle systems. These updates are designed to enable autonomous flight control and allow the system to manage both control surfaces and thrust output. “Modifying the aircraft is the result of a rigorous design phase and brings us one step closer to testing autonomy on a fighter jet with real mission systems and capabilities,” said Maj. Trent McMullen, chief of advanced capabilities at the 40th Flight Test Squadron. Since the program’s launch in April 2024, the Air Force has been testing the VENOM system in high-fidelity simulation environments. These virtual engagements include one-on-one and two-on-two combat scenarios in both within-visual-range (WVR) and beyond-visual-range (BVR) contexts. The goal is to train and refine the AI through repeated iterations of tactical decision-making. “The simulations provide an efficient way to train the autonomy to learn complex air combat tactics,” McMullen said. “A specific scenario can be run 1,000 times and the variations and decisions made throughout that mission can be studied. We can then make recommendations to the developers on how to improve the autonomy’s behaviors and overall performance.” Hardware- and software-in-the-loop testing is also underway to ensure safe and reliable integration of autonomous control within the F-16’s operational envelope. Flight envelope protections have been incorporated into simulators to prevent the system from issuing commands that could endanger the aircraft or pilot. Once the current phase of system verification is complete, the program will move to ground testing with fully modified aircraft, followed by supervised flight testing where pilots will retain real-time authority to engage or disengage autonomous control. Lt. Col. Jeremy Castor, operational test lead for VENOM, emphasized the importance of close coordination between developmental and operational test teams. “Having both DT and OT pilots working and flying from the same location allows for daily collaboration and reduces the stove piping of knowledge and lessons learned,” he said. The Air Force said it expects a fully modified F-16 to be ready for flight testing within 18 months of the program’s initial aircraft deliveries. The broader aim of VENOM is to accelerate the development and deployment of autonomy and payload technologies critical to future air combat operations.

VENOM-AFT

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