Beale Air Force Base Makes History

Dec. 19—Beale Air Force Base hosted a historic flight this week, made possible by cutting edge work by the base in the last couple of months.

The United States Air Force used artificial intelligence as a working aircrew member for the first time on Tuesday, according to a Beale news release. The AI algorithm was developed at Beale by Air Combat Command's U-2 Federal Laboratory. It was designed after a direct challenge from Will Roper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for acquisition, technology and logistics. Roper gave Beale the challenge two months ago and Beale developed an AI design capable of being applied beyond just the U-2 aircraft.

"This is one of the many ways the 9th Reconnaissance Wing is innovating to take on the DoD's toughest challenges," Beale Wing Commander Col. Heather Fox said via the release. "The U-2 is the perfect platform to drive cutting edge military technology that is easily transferred to other Air Force and joint partners."

The algorithm trained the AI to execute specific in-flight tasks that otherwise would be accomplished by the pilot. During the test flight, the AI was responsible for sensor employment and tactical navigation, while the pilot flew the aircraft and coordinated with the AI on sensor operation. The flight was a reconnaissance mission during a simulated missile strike and the AI helped find enemy launchers while the pilot was on the lookout for threatening aircraft, according to a U.S. Air Force news release.

The scenario pitted the AI against another dynamic computer algorithm in order to prove the new technology. The result of the test demonstrated the pilot and AI successfully worked together to achieve the mission objectives against the dynamic algorithm, according to the Beale release.

Beale Military Liaison Council Chair Janice Nall said the flight was a first step in testing and development of AI in all the Air Force, not just at Beale.

"While this is a historic first in the Air Force and in the military, this achievement highlights Beale; in this particular case the incredible men and women maintaining, coordinating, and flying the planes, ensuring the pilots are properly suited up and healthy," Nall said in an email. "It's about having a small but committed group known as the U2 Federal Lab who identified a need and soared with great success to meet and exceed expectations."

Nall said residents living near the base should not have any fear about aircraft assisted by AI flying over their heads.

"I think the concern should be focused on adversarial peer countries with more developed products which could be used against our nation and allies," Nall said. "AI is already in our everyday lives, from face recognition, to searches on the web, to many devices in the home, to the way we shop online and how we get from Point A to Point B."

The U-2 lab that developed the algorithm was established to bring a confluence of warfighter, developer, and acquirer, vertically integrated under the same operational roof, according to the Beale release. The lab accelerates the national defense strategy, including edge development — a concept that integrates new software and operational systems.

Two months ago the U-2 lab updated inflight software for the first time during a U-2 flight training mission — another military first, according to the release.

" Recce Town is unlike any other wing in the Air Force," Fox said via the release. " The 9th Reconnaissance Wing provides formal training, maintains ready forces, all while continuously and simultaneously executing missions from multiple locations around the globe."

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