June 22, 2022
Top Gun: A New Training System Will Prepare Pilots for Aerial Combat
Advances in computer technology make it possible for simulations to replicate enemy aircraft, weapons, and maneuver tactics.
by Kris Osborn
Executing quick maneuvers during air combat to avoid incoming enemy fire, shifting course to avoid collisions, and drawing on advanced artificial intelligence (AI) enabled computer algorithms to process enemy targeting data are all critical areas of focus for U.S. Air Force trainers as they prepare for great power war.
Future air combat will incorporate more speed, range, stealth, and lethality, as well as new levels of autonomy, making the need to prepare for and train against a wide range of contingencies extremely critical. This concept forms the basis of the U.S. Air Force’s Red Team training concept where groups of air platforms confront specific anticipated enemy threats in realistic combat scenarios. Increasingly, advances in computer technology make it possible for simulations to replicate enemy aircraft, weapons, maneuver tactics, and even computing power through advanced computer simulations.
It is a training focus increasingly emphasized by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy in close coordination with live-fire training scenarios through exercises such as Red Flag. As part of this integrated process, training through simulated networking technologies is being measurably improved by the U.S. Air Force in coordination with industry partners.
https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/top-gun-new-training-system-will-prepare-pilots-aerial-combat-203111
