US Air Force wants AI to assist aerial refueling美国空军希望人工智能协助空中加油
The goal is for AI to automatically analyze refueling operations from cameras mounted on the tankers and provide “hot wash” feedback to the tanker crews.
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A KC-46A Pegasus tanker practices refueling operations on another KC-46A, Oct. 21, 2023. (Airman 1st Class Simonne Barker/Air Force)
The U.S. Air Force is looking to artificial intelligence to improve the performance of its aerial refueling crews.
The goal is for AI to automatically analyze refueling operations from cameras mounted on the tankers and provide “hot wash” feedback to the tanker crews.
According to an Air Force Small Business Innovation Research solicitation, the service wants a system that can “leverage advanced computer vision, machine learning, and aviation (flight dynamics) analytics techniques to automatically extract operationally relevant performance metrics from aerial refueling events, quantify deviations from desired flight profiles, and generate actionable post-flight feedback to improve aircrew proficiency, reduce human-factor-driven mishaps, and enhance mission readiness.”
The application deadline is Nov. 25.
The SBIR is focused on the KC-46 tanker, which will feature a remote vision system that will allow operators to remotely operate the refueling boom via cameras and a 3D display. Though the system has been plagued by teething problems , the Air Force says most will soon be resolved.
The system would automatically track the tanker and refueling boom, as well as the receiving aircraft. It would measure a variety of data, including position, velocity, alignment and closure rate, and assess whether they deviate from nominal parameters.
The Air Force hopes an AI-based assessment system will mitigate the biases inherent in human assessment of aerial refueling, which is among the most demanding tasks for aircrew.
“Current aerial refueling training and post-flight assessment processes rely heavily on instructor observation, pilot self-assessment, manual video review, and subjective evaluation of performance,” the SBIR noted.
The system would create visual displays to improve the performance of pilots of the aircraft receiving fuel, such as “graphic AI overlays, heat maps, event timelines, and immersive or interactive debrief environments.” It would also have the potential to integrate with other training systems, including virtual and augmented reality, simulators, mission rehearsal systems, and other computer-based training tools.
The Air Force sees this as a prototype for future AI-based training systems.
“The desired end state is an operationally demonstrated capability ready to implement for at least one type of receiver aircraft and that can support transition into existing aviation training ecosystems and provide a scalable foundation for future AI-enabled aviation performance assessment across the Department of Defense,” the solicitation reads.
Michael Peck is a correspondent for Defense News and a columnist for the Center for European Policy Analysis. He holds an M.A. in political science from Rutgers University. Find him at theuncommondefense.com. His email is mikedefense1@gmail.com.
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2023年10月21日，一架KC-46A“飞马”加油机正在为另一架KC-46A进行空中加油演练。（空军一等兵西蒙妮·巴克/美国空军）
美国空军正寻求利用人工智能来提高空中加油机组人员的绩效。
目标是让人工智能自动分析安装在油轮上的摄像头拍摄的加油作业，并向油轮船员提供“实时”反馈。
根据美国空军小型企业创新研究的招标书，该军种希望开发一种系统，该系统能够“利用先进的计算机视觉、机器学习和航空（飞行动力学）分析技术，从空中加油事件中自动提取与运行相关的性能指标，量化与预期飞行剖面的偏差，并生成可操作的飞行后反馈，以提高机组人员的熟练程度，减少人为因素导致的事故，并提高任务准备度。”
申请截止日期为11月25日。
这项小型企业创新研究计划 (SBIR) 的重点是 KC-46 加油机，该加油机将配备一套远程视觉系统，使操作员能够通过摄像头和 3D 显示器远程操控加油吊杆。尽管该系统初期遇到了一些问题，但空军表示大部分问题很快就能得到解决。
该系统将自动跟踪加油机、加油臂以及受油飞机。它将测量各种数据，包括位置、速度、对准情况和接近速度，并评估这些数据是否偏离标称参数。
空军希望基于人工智能的评估系统能够减轻人工评估空中加油时固有的偏见，空中加油是机组人员面临的最艰巨的任务之一。
“目前的空中加油训练和飞行后评估流程严重依赖于教员观察、飞行员自我评估、人工视频审查和对表现的主观评价，”SBIR 指出。
该系统将创建可视化显示，以提高接受加油飞机的飞行员的性能，例如“图形人工智能叠加层、热图、事件时间线以及沉浸式或交互式汇报环境”。它还有可能与其他训练系统集成，包括虚拟现实和增强现实、模拟器、任务演练系统和其他基于计算机的训练工具。
空军将此视为未来基于人工智能的训练系统的原型。
招标书中写道：“我们期望的最终状态是具备可操作性验证的能力，能够应用于至少一种类型的接收机，并支持过渡到现有的航空训练生态系统，为国防部未来开展人工智能赋能的航空性能评估提供可扩展的基础。”
迈克尔·佩克是《防务新闻》的通讯员，也是欧洲政策分析中心的专栏作家。他拥有罗格斯大学政治学硕士学位。您可以在theuncommondefense.com找到他。他的邮箱是mikedefense1@gmail.com。