Exclusive: US Air Force advances VENOM F-16 fighter jet program to boost Artificial Intelligence in air operations
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On April 1, 2025, the U.S. Air Force achieved a major milestone in its pursuit of artificial intelligence-enabled aerial warfare as the final F-16 Fighting Falcon designated for the VENOM program landed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This marked the completion of the fleet of aircraft set to be modified under the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed, known as VENOM. The program represents a significant step forward in transforming legacy fighter aircraft into advanced platforms for testing and developing autonomous flight and combat capabilities.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
An F-16 Fighting Falcon is modified at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, as part of the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed (VENOM) program. The upgrades include integrated software, hardware, and instrumentation to enable autonomous flight capabilities. (Picture source: U.S. Air Force)
The VENOM initiative formally began in April 2024, when the U.S. Air Force 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB received the first three F-16s. This event initiated the modification and integration phase of the program, setting the stage for VENOM-AFT (Autonomy Flying Testbed), a system designed to accelerate the development and testing of autonomous software on both crewed and uncrewed aircraft. VENOM-AFT is part of the Air Force’s broader autonomy experimentation infrastructure and supports the development of advanced capabilities for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative and other AI-driven defense programs.
The 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing are two key components of the U.S. Air Force responsible for advancing and validating cutting-edge combat technologies. Based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, the 96th Test Wing serves as the Air Force’s principal unit for developmental testing, focusing on air-delivered weapons, aircraft systems, guidance technologies, and electronic warfare tools. It ensures new systems are technically sound and safe before entering operational use. Complementing this, the 53rd Wing specializes in operational testing and evaluation, assessing how systems perform in real-world combat scenarios to verify their effectiveness and suitability for warfighters. Together, these wings provide a complete test ecosystem—developmental and operational—allowing programs like VENOM to rapidly transition from concept to combat-ready capability.
VENOM’s central objective is to provide a fast, flexible, and secure environment for validating autonomy and AI-based mission systems through rapid iteration—a process described by the Air Force as “speed-to-ramp.” By leveraging F-16s as test platforms, the program benefits from a proven, widely used airframe capable of supporting high-performance testing without the cost and complexity of developing new aircraft. The F-16’s agility, combat heritage, and adaptability make it a practical and effective platform for testing next-generation combat autonomy.
Each VENOM aircraft undergoes significant software and hardware upgrades to support its new role. These include the integration of an auto-throttle system to allow autonomous control of thrust, as well as enhanced sensors, flight control interfaces, and onboard processing systems capable of supporting artificial intelligence applications. This transforms the fighter into an experimental platform where AI can be tested under real-world flight conditions with a human pilot onboard acting as a supervisory controller.
The program follows a systematic development process. In 2024, faster-than-real-time simulations were used to train and evaluate AI behavior in air combat scenarios. These included one-on-one and two-on-two engagements in both within-visual-range (WVR) and beyond-visual-range (BVR) configurations. Simulation environments allow for high-volume iteration—up to thousands of variations of a single mission—which are used to refine AI decision-making models before they are transitioned to physical platforms.
The next stage includes software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing using high-fidelity simulators to ensure AI systems interact safely and correctly with the aircraft’s avionics and flight control systems. These steps are essential for verifying that autonomous commands do not exceed safety envelopes or compromise pilot safety. Once these are validated, the program will advance to ground testing and eventually live flight tests.
Operationally, VENOM enhances the U.S. Air Force’s capacity to develop autonomous systems that can support manned-unmanned teaming and independent AI-assisted missions. It is a key enabler for integrating autonomous decision-making into tactical scenarios, extending combat reach, improving survivability, and reducing the cognitive burden on pilots during high-intensity missions.
The VENOM program is funded at approximately $120 million over five years and is part of the Air Force’s budget, subject to congressional approval and oversight. It directly complements the CCA initiative and other emerging efforts to modernize the force through artificial intelligence and autonomy. With the full complement of six test F-16s now in place, VENOM is positioned to lead the U.S. Air Force into a new era of air combat development—one where AI-driven systems operate seamlessly alongside traditional crewed platforms.
As of April 2025, the VENOM program remains an active and rapidly progressing initiative, aimed at redefining air combat paradigms and building the technological foundation for future air superiority.
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On April 1, 2025, the U.S. Air Force achieved a major milestone in its pursuit of artificial intelligence-enabled aerial warfare as the final F-16 Fighting Falcon designated for the VENOM program landed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. This marked the completion of the fleet of aircraft set to be modified under the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed, known as VENOM. The program represents a significant step forward in transforming legacy fighter aircraft into advanced platforms for testing and developing autonomous flight and combat capabilities.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
An F-16 Fighting Falcon is modified at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, as part of the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed (VENOM) program. The upgrades include integrated software, hardware, and instrumentation to enable autonomous flight capabilities. (Picture source: U.S. Air Force)
The VENOM initiative formally began in April 2024, when the U.S. Air Force 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing at Eglin AFB received the first three F-16s. This event initiated the modification and integration phase of the program, setting the stage for VENOM-AFT (Autonomy Flying Testbed), a system designed to accelerate the development and testing of autonomous software on both crewed and uncrewed aircraft. VENOM-AFT is part of the Air Force’s broader autonomy experimentation infrastructure and supports the development of advanced capabilities for the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) initiative and other AI-driven defense programs.
The 96th Test Wing and 53rd Wing are two key components of the U.S. Air Force responsible for advancing and validating cutting-edge combat technologies. Based at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, the 96th Test Wing serves as the Air Force’s principal unit for developmental testing, focusing on air-delivered weapons, aircraft systems, guidance technologies, and electronic warfare tools. It ensures new systems are technically sound and safe before entering operational use. Complementing this, the 53rd Wing specializes in operational testing and evaluation, assessing how systems perform in real-world combat scenarios to verify their effectiveness and suitability for warfighters. Together, these wings provide a complete test ecosystem—developmental and operational—allowing programs like VENOM to rapidly transition from concept to combat-ready capability.
VENOM’s central objective is to provide a fast, flexible, and secure environment for validating autonomy and AI-based mission systems through rapid iteration—a process described by the Air Force as “speed-to-ramp.” By leveraging F-16s as test platforms, the program benefits from a proven, widely used airframe capable of supporting high-performance testing without the cost and complexity of developing new aircraft. The F-16’s agility, combat heritage, and adaptability make it a practical and effective platform for testing next-generation combat autonomy.
Each VENOM aircraft undergoes significant software and hardware upgrades to support its new role. These include the integration of an auto-throttle system to allow autonomous control of thrust, as well as enhanced sensors, flight control interfaces, and onboard processing systems capable of supporting artificial intelligence applications. This transforms the fighter into an experimental platform where AI can be tested under real-world flight conditions with a human pilot onboard acting as a supervisory controller.
The program follows a systematic development process. In 2024, faster-than-real-time simulations were used to train and evaluate AI behavior in air combat scenarios. These included one-on-one and two-on-two engagements in both within-visual-range (WVR) and beyond-visual-range (BVR) configurations. Simulation environments allow for high-volume iteration—up to thousands of variations of a single mission—which are used to refine AI decision-making models before they are transitioned to physical platforms.
The next stage includes software-in-the-loop and hardware-in-the-loop testing using high-fidelity simulators to ensure AI systems interact safely and correctly with the aircraft’s avionics and flight control systems. These steps are essential for verifying that autonomous commands do not exceed safety envelopes or compromise pilot safety. Once these are validated, the program will advance to ground testing and eventually live flight tests.
Operationally, VENOM enhances the U.S. Air Force’s capacity to develop autonomous systems that can support manned-unmanned teaming and independent AI-assisted missions. It is a key enabler for integrating autonomous decision-making into tactical scenarios, extending combat reach, improving survivability, and reducing the cognitive burden on pilots during high-intensity missions.
The VENOM program is funded at approximately $120 million over five years and is part of the Air Force’s budget, subject to congressional approval and oversight. It directly complements the CCA initiative and other emerging efforts to modernize the force through artificial intelligence and autonomy. With the full complement of six test F-16s now in place, VENOM is positioned to lead the U.S. Air Force into a new era of air combat development—one where AI-driven systems operate seamlessly alongside traditional crewed platforms.
As of April 2025, the VENOM program remains an active and rapidly progressing initiative, aimed at redefining air combat paradigms and building the technological foundation for future air superiority.
