The VENOM program will modify six F-16Cs into autonomous aircraft to accelerate testing of autonomy software on crewed and uncrewed aircraft.The U.S. Air Force is progressing with the Viper Experimentation and Next-gen Operations Model – Autonomy Flying Testbed program, or VENOM, which will modify six F-16Cs into autonomous aircraft. On Apr. 1, 2025, the last aircraft set for modification arrived at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.
Integrating autonomy into the F-16
The first three Vipers arrived at Eglin last year in April and are currently undergoing software, hardware and instrumentation modifications that will eventually allow the autonomy agents to fly the aircraft. A physical change mentioned by the service is the inclusion of an auto-throttle, which would allow the autonomy to regulate the thrust, while the flight control surfaces would be handled by the Flight Control System’s computer.
“Modifying the aircraft is the result of a rigorous design phase and brings us one step closer to testing autonomy on a fighter jet with real mission systems and capabilities,” said Maj. Trent McMullen, the 40th Flight Test Squadron’s advanced capabilities division chief.
While modifications are being made to the aircraft, the autonomy system “is continuously tested in faster-than-real-time modelling and simulation environments in countless aircraft combat scenarios,“ said the service. The press release further mentions that “simulations began in 2024 and included one-on-one and now two-on-two combat flights,” which also include “within-visual-range and beyond-visual-range missions.”