Air Force F-35 pilot Hasard Lee challenges AI firm to a fighter fly-off
Alex Hollings | January 14, 2022
Here at Sandboxx News, we’re known to play favorites when it comes to pilots, so when our friend and contributing writer Hasard Lee reached out to tell us that he recently issued a public challenge to pit him and his F-35 against any fully autonomous aircraft in a complex real–world simulated battlefield environment, we certainly took notice.
Hasard now serves as a major in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, following a lengthy active duty career flying combat missions in the F-16 before transitioning to America’s flying super-computer. To say Hasard is an expert when it comes to the F-35 could be an understatement, as he’s served not only as an instructor training new pilots on how to fly the 5th-generation fighter, he’s also become a sort of unofficial spokesperson for the platform. Hasard has appeared in publications from Popular Mechanics to Business Insider to talk F-35 tech, as well as launching a successful YouTube channel devoted to his passion for aviation and educating the masses.
In the past, Hasard and I have briefly discussed his frustration with the idea that fighter pilots are a thing of the past in this era of artificial intelligence and uncrewed aircraft. He contends, and I’m inclined to agree, that AI just isn’t advanced enough to substitute for the human brain in a complex and dynamic combat environment yet. It might be fair to say that we both know that day may eventually come, but if you ask Hasard, he’ll tell you it won’t be for a long time yet.
https://www.sandboxx.us/blog/air-force-f-35-pilot-hasard-lee-challenges-ai-firm-to-a-fighter-fly-off/
