Next-generation unmanned fighter jets

[Anchor]

As seen in the Ukraine war, drones are widely used in warfare, and Elon Musk, a close associate of President-elect Trump, has claimed that manned fighter jets are no longer necessary.

With drone technology rapidly advancing through artificial intelligence, where do we stand?

Reporter Song Geum-han reports.

[Report]

The strongest fighter jet in current existance, the F-22 Raptor.

The U.S. Air Force, which has been developing the next-generation fighter jet, has handed over the selection of the manufacturer to the next administration.

This is because the development of unmanned aircraft has changed the direction of future fighter jets compared to when research began ten years ago. Elon Musk, a close associate of President-elect Trump, argues that manned fighter jets are obsolete and that using unmanned aircraft eliminates the need for spending on pilots.

Military unmanned aircraft, which were previously remotely controlled by humans on the ground, have now advanced to the point where they can autonomously fly in squadrons using artificial intelligence technology.

[Nathan Michael/CTO of U.S. unmanned company: "With or without human input, to be able to navigate conditions where communications may be degraded or denied, where external information may no longer be available."]

However, it is premature for artificial intelligence to take on the responsibility of attacking targets and making life-and-death decisions, and there are ethical issues as well.

Led by the United States, countries like Australia and Japan are focusing on joint operation technologies for manned and unmanned aircraft.

We are also investing 100 billion won in the development of such a 'next-generation aerial combat system.'

The Korean fighter jet KF-21 and several AI unmanned aircraft will be connected through a high-performance communication network, where a human pilot will make decisions and command the unmanned aircraft to approach dangerous enemy positions for surveillance and attack.

The domestically produced light armed helicopter, 'Miron,' which was delivered to the military on the 26th of last month, will also be equipped with a 'manned-unmanned hybrid system' in the future.

With a goal of development by 2028, the unmanned aircraft launched by the helicopter will communicate with the pilot and carry out missions together.

This is Song Geum-han from KBS News.