Lockheed Martin Skunk Works has been associated with major advances in aerospace for decades. The company is now applying that approach to tactical artificial intelligence designed to decide, act, and adapt alongside human pilots.
A recent example is the Have Remy test management project, a close partnership between Skunk Works engineers and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School. This effort focused on directly incorporating students into the design, testing, and evaluation of autonomous agents in an accelerated timeline.
For this project, students defined a missile avoidance scenario that required split-second decision-making and three-dimensional maneuvering at the limits of the VISTA flight range. They also formed AI training within hours and ran billions of simulated missions using Skunk Works’ Supermassive simulation engine.
The development of the AI was guided through a high-fidelity F-16 simulator that enables virtual testing before actual flight. Students also provided feedback on a new AI monitoring algorithm designed to measure how well real-world performance matches simulation results.
Through this process, TPS students observed how AI moves from theory to flight-ready capabilities. At the same time, Skunk Works engineers utilized access to the U.S. Air Force’s X-62A VISTA autonomy testbed to evaluate their technology.
The X-62A VISTA (Variable Flight Simulator Test Aircraft) is an improved F-16 equipped with high-performance computing systems and advanced sensors. Until now, it had never hosted a Lockheed Martin AI system that directly controlled an aircraft.
TPS students flew autonomous agents in real-world conditions across more than 100 test points. These flights demonstrated a consistent transition of missile avoidance capabilities from simulation to actual operations.
Skunk Works supported continuous improvement through a process described as “Fly-Fix-Fly.” Engineers recreated real-world AI behavior in simulations, allowing them to develop, debug, and test updates within hours before deploying them to aircraft.
This transition from reality to simulation allowed us to integrate lessons learned in real flight directly into the autonomy stack. This approach was intended to ensure that updates delivered in the field performed as expected.
According to Lockheed Martin, the Have Remy test management project highlights the company’s ability to develop and test tactical AI in collaboration with the Air Force Test Pilot School. This project advances the operational concept of human-machine teaming for future missions by demonstrating that autonomous agents can be monitored, understood, and controlled in real time.
