Move over, Maverick. AI software can land a plane on a carrier deck better than you. Over 5,000 men and women crew each of America’s 11 aircraft carriers, but the U.S. Navy’s counting on AI to help them fight China. AI will bring carrier planes in for landings, fly unmanned tankers with fuel for combat planes, and even analyze the bug juice in the chow line. Night carrier landings are dangerous feats of combat aviation. Americans think of the “Top Gun” movies starring Tom Cruise as Maverick, an intrepid Navy pilot who can land a 32,000-lb. F/A-18EF Superhornet on a 90,000-ton aircraft carrier in night, rain, wind and pitching seas. Now the Navy has found out AI is a big, big help in bringing aircraft aboard. In real life, a form of AI called Precision Landing Mode has changed the art of carrier landings into science. I have written more on this subject here.
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