Lockheed Martin’s Skunk Works, working with the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and industry partners, has demonstrated sensor-driven autonomy on the X-62 VISTA at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In eight flights, an AI agent used live infrared sensor data to carry out 27 air intercepts against a T-38 target aircraft, moving the programme from simulation into live mission-system testing.
The trials used a Legion Pod sensor feed and showed the AI closing the sensor-to-action loop in real time on an operational test aircraft. Lockheed Martin integrated and ground-tested the autonomy on the X-62 in three months, highlighting a faster path from development and simulation into flight execution.
The X-62 VISTA has long served as a pathfinding platform for autonomy and open architectures, and the latest work is framed as part of a broader effort to advance onboard AI for future air combat systems. The tests are relevant to sensor-driven intercepts in contested environments, where rapid autonomy integration and real-world sensing will matter for next-generation crewed and uncrewed aircraft operations.