Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has begun building a next-generation air combat system. Recently, as manned and unmanned aircraft collaborated in operations as a manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) system, it is considered a key element of future battlefields, prompting KAI to focus on developing artificial intelligence (AI) pilots.

According to KAI on the 24th, KAI's air combat system consists of three stages. The first stage focuses on the consolidation between the Korean supersonic fighter KF-21 and multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with AI pilots. The second stage adds low-orbit satellites and unmanned combat drones to the first stage. The final third stage involves the formation of a combined manned-unmanned team that integrates stealth capabilities, sensors, data fusion, and the next-generation KF-21.

Conceptual diagram of the next-generation aerial combat system based on artificial intelligence (AI). A multi-purpose unmanned aerial vehicle and combat drone are equipped with a pilot, forming a mixed manned-unmanned unit with KF-21 and FA-50 to carry out missions. /Courtesy of KAI

To this end, KAI is building an AI technology ecosystem, investing 102.5 billion won last year. It has invested in small and medium-sized corporations such as Conon, a big data AI company, Punzin, a decision-making AI specialist, and GenAI, an AI-based defense synthetic data solutions company, to secure technologies like big data and autonomous unmanned systems.

KAI is set to embark on AI autonomous flight verification in partnership with Shield AI. The plan is to validate the free flight technology of its self-developed AI pilot using the autonomous flight software HME developed by Shield AI.

The name of the KAI AI pilot is "K-AILOT." It was selected as the best entry in a public competition held for the entire nation last January. The name combines "pilot," which refers to a aviator, and KAI. KAI is developing it to autonomously recognize and analyze battlefield situations to carry out missions.

Starting this year, KAI plans to pilot K-AILOT on its multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicle prototypes. In the case of unmanned combat aircraft, KAI is conducting preliminary concept research through its own investment. KAI aims to equip K-AILOT on unmanned combat aircraft as well.

KAI aims to develop a manned-unmanned hybrid system combining the KF-21 and multifunctional unmanned aerial vehicles based on K-AILOT through a phased verification that includes commercial drones, prototypes, and real aircraft.