Aerospace

The Air Force Of The Future

The US Air Force is gearing up for large technology research, requesting some $2.5 billion for research in its budget for fiscal year 2017. Some of the technologies the USAF is banking on are laser weapons for fighter jets, autonomous AI-controlled tactical aircraft, and quick and efficient data-mining solutions.

USAF Chief Scientists Greg Zacharias recently warned that China and Russia are investing significant manpower and finances into catching up with US technological advances, and the US can’t afford to slow the pace of development lest it fall behind.

“I think we need to do a leapfrog and push the technology even farther, and not sit on our laurels,” Zacharias said.

All is not gloom, however. The USAF could have jets equipped with high-powered lasers in just five years. The Air Force “has not yet settled on a platform to host the laser,” DefenseNews reports, but several possibilities are being considered. Whatever they settle on, USAF Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) “Shield” programme hopes to showcase a working prototype by 2021.