The Royal Air Force (RAF) is preparing a sophisticated fighter aircraft that will use the latest technology, including a combination of virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), and artificial intelligence (AI).
The British Air Force will equip the fighter aircraft named The Tempest with a cockpit without physical buttons and screens, in contrast to the current fighter aircraft.
But the sophistication is not only that, because there is a system that (it is hoped) can read the pilot's mind. The aim is to monitor the physical condition of the pilot, as well as to make the pilot more aware of the conditions around the aircraft.
With all these sophistication, The Tempest will be positioned as a fighter aircraft controlled by a pilot and computer, which is referred to as 'scalable autonomy' by the RAF.
The helmet that the pilot wears will be equipped with various sensors and AI to analyze signals from the pilot's brain, and then slowly study those signals. So later AI can take over control of the plane if the pilot loses consciousness.
The RAF website also exhibits technology in the cockpit, including eye movement detection to monitor pilot conditions such as when the pilot is exhausted or experiencing mental stress.
Meanwhile, the interface in the cockpit will be equipped with AR and VR technology displayed on the helmet without any physical elements. All of these sensors and technologies will be used to increase pilot capabilities and awareness of their surroundings.
BAE Systems, one of the companies working on the Tempest, plans to conduct a test flight in 2027, and the RAF wants the Tempest to be fully operational by 2034.