What the hell is a private enterprise?

Chapter 646 Claiming Merit (August 2200 Monthly Tickets)

Yuma Air Force Test Range, Arizona

A meticulously prepared battle is unfolding in the skies above the desert.

Two RF100 "Ninja" unmanned combat aircraft flew up and down in the air, first performing a barrel roll, then climbing at a high angle at a speed that would be difficult even for human pilots to complete a loop, before diving in each other's direction and crossing paths.

Then one of them made a sharp turn while releasing two AIM-120B missiles and chased after another RF100 that was trying to roll over in the barrel.

Two air-to-air missiles emitted plumes of white smoke. A few seconds later, another RF100 was hit in the wing by a missile, lost its balance, and plummeted at high speed to the ground, turning into a cloud of expanding explosion.

At this moment, F-15s, each responsible for remotely controlling an RF100, appeared from behind and began to land one after the other.

“It was absolutely brilliant. I mean, the ‘ninjas’ looked almost as amazing as a live performance.”

Wayne clapped his hands in satisfaction. Over the past six months, General Atoms had told him that the RF100 had entered the mass production stage and that they had carefully prepared for this performance.

The two RF100s, under the control of their respective lead aircraft, did their best, which was excellent.

He pulled Richie aside:
"Is this what AI combat is like? Has it reached the same level as the 'Little Black Box'?"

However, upon hearing the name "little black box," Richie immediately became hesitant and stammered for a long time before finally saying:

"In fact, the RF100's control computer is not AI, and it does not reach the level of artificial intelligence. It is just an automatic judgment program."

Common maneuvers such as rolls and loops are recorded by test pilots and then written into the system. When the lead pilot issues a command, the system automatically performs different maneuvers based on the enemy's position.

Our test pilot simulated many common aerial encounter scenarios and entered them into the automated computer; however, in essence, he is still not artificial intelligence.

At this point, Richie noticed confusion on Wayne's face, and the other man indeed asked:
"Isn't adapting to external circumstances what computer intelligence is?"

Richie: "In 1770, Hunyari presented the Queen with a chess-playing robot, which consisted of an ingenious clockwork and gear mechanism and was able to frequently defeat humans in matches."

In May of last year, 1997, IBM's Deep Blue defeated world chess champion Garry Kasparov.

"They can all respond to external input, but they represent very different things."

The wind-up robot can never escape the framework set by its designer, while Deep Blue is constantly learning from humans. He is a smart child who will one day become the best chess player.

If one day Deep Blue can defeat all human chess players, then with just a few modifications, it could become the world's best fighter pilot.

Wayne understood, and he pointed to the sky:

"Our RF100 computer is an ingenious mechanism composed of clockwork and gears, while the little black box on the gnat and the Super Swift is an intelligent entity similar to a human. There is a gap of 227 years."

Rich: "IBM is already working with Prism to develop combat AI. In fact, the F-22 has already used some auxiliary AI decision-making. It won't take 227 years; maybe there will be a major breakthrough in 27 months. But for the outdated Gnat and Super Swift, the RF100 is perfectly adequate."

At this moment, the "Victory" RF100 also landed automatically on the runway. When Wayne went forward, he found that the original cockpit bubble had completely disappeared, and the original cockpit had been closed along the curve of the fuselage, leaving only two small openings on the side.

The engineer opened the cover—the equipment maintenance cover—and what Huai En saw was an iron box the size of a small refrigerator, surrounded by a dense array of pipes that were terrifying in their sheer number. The sharp whistling of the cooling fan and countless indicator lights constituted the brain of the RF100.

"The RF100 uses the most advanced Pentium processors available today, and each of its autonomous pilots is comparable to a small server, making it at least the most advanced wind-up robot available today."

The unmanned J-6 fighter jets from the East are, at best, slightly enhanced remote-controlled model aircraft.

This time, the speaker was an IBM support expert, who also strongly supports the RF100.

After all, a small server normally costs $50,000 to $60,000, but if it's a special supply for the Air Force, even 10 times that price would be considered a fair price.

Wayne wasn't unaware of these intricacies, but he was very satisfied with the RF100 now, and most importantly, he wasn't afraid of anyone dying from it being dropped.

However, just as he continued to investigate the RF100, a servant rushed over and whispered something in his ear.

Huai En was stunned for a full minute before he came to his senses:
"Is it confirmed? Has any wreckage been salvaged?"

Attendant: "The search for the wreckage in the water has not yet begun, but the USS Stansson has contacted the pilots and confirmed that they are the two pilots from the 'New York Ghost'."

Colonel Burke also sent back a message confirming that the AV-3 had indeed been shot down, and that he had only escaped by luck due to the distance.

"Has the weapon that shot them down been confirmed?"

"The USS Steinsen reportedly carried 20 missiles, which were launched from the sea and flew at least 150 kilometers before hitting the AV-3."

"This is impossible!"

Wayne excitedly interrupted him: "No ship-to-air missile can fly more than 150 kilometers, and no radar is powerful enough to lock onto a B-2 at an altitude of more than 10,000 meters from 150 kilometers away and guide the missile to hit it!"

If the Lost Empire possessed such missiles and radar, not a single one of the five hundred Allied aircraft would have survived the Christmas campaign!

"Sir, but the B2 was indeed shot down."

Their voices were heard by those around them, and Richie was immediately filled with a storm of emotions:
The B2 was shot down?!
The powerful B-2, described as having alien technology and undetectable even by the Empire itself, has been shot down?

Or is it the lost empire?!

However, Wayne's eyes were bloodshot and he was on the verge of collapse.

Because the B-2 is so advanced, the adaptation and debugging time after production is particularly long. So far, only a few of the 13 B-2s delivered are in deployment, and they are all undergoing intensive integration and debugging, which is as difficult as the sea trials of aircraft carriers and Arleigh Burkes.

Destroying a B-2 is no less significant than the Enterprise being severely damaged.

The key point is that stealth fighters have always been regarded by the Air Force as an invincible magic weapon and the ultimate weapon to dominate the future. If they can be easily shot down by exploiting vulnerabilities, wouldn't that mean that hundreds of billions of dollars have been wasted and the F-22 is no longer safe?
"Investigate! Request Prism Building to immediately deploy a carrier strike group to blockade Katch Bay and Campaign Bay, and not allow a single tuna to be released!"

The wreckage of B2 must be salvaged piece by piece; the cause of its downing must be determined!

Just as Wayne gave the order, Rams called his cell phone.

"Damn it!"

Wayne had no good feelings towards Rams, who always thought the B-2 was too expensive and too powerful and unnecessary. The original plan of 132 aircraft was cut down to 20. In 1996, he finally managed to purchase one more, bringing the total to 21, but he still could not tolerate this and wished he could stop immediately and not purchase a single more.

If he discovers that B2 has shortcomings, he will definitely clamor to stop production immediately!

……

Sindeli

The indiscriminate electronic interference from the Stanson continues.

The downing of the "New York Ghost" drove Prism Building into a near-mad state. Disregarding the importance of the shipping lanes of Khaki Bay and Campsite Bay, it directly ordered the USS Stanson, along with the Perry-class destroyers, to declare a no-navigation zone and close off the two bays. At the same time, the USS Stanson would keep electronic jamming active until the USS Nimitz carrier strike group arrived 15 hours later to retrieve the wreckage.

This drastic action not only startled the Third Brother, but even Dai Ying, who knew about the "elephant" bombing operation, was astonished:
Didn't we agree on just punishment? Why did you secretly change your mind behind the agreement and act like you're about to explode?

When Ying went to ask Rams, she found that Rams's tone was worse than a can of herring, and his words were filled with anger that he wanted to tear something apart.

Watts hurried to find Paraniapan and asked if his third brother had done something outrageous again.

"of course not!"

Paraniapan was also in a very complicated mood. It was already the early morning of the 9th. When Watts found him, his brother's Air Force Chief of Staff, General Anil, was also there.

Anil: "Our facilities were bombed, and you, as members of the Oceania Convention, come to us to demand an explanation."

Paraniapan said, feeling wronged:

“If it weren’t for the fact that Dai Ying is our traditional patriarch, you wouldn’t be able to get in here at all. Now that Parliament has passed an emergency order to sever ties with the Atlantic Treaty, I will only receive you if you come in person.”

"Did you see those guards outside? They'll go crazy if word gets out."

However, Watts was not intimidated by the two's act at all, and told a joke: the third brother was tough on Dai Ying.

The Third Brother's madness is just a fleeting moment, but the Empire's madness is truly deadly.

He asked again, "Did you shoot down any planes?"

Our planes are still being electronically jammed and shot down?
Anil was filled with nothing but cursing. Once Arleigh Burke's phased array radar went into action, military and civilian communications in the three surrounding states were completely disrupted, and the aviation system was paralyzed, leaving many passenger planes wondering where to land.

Meanwhile, his own fighter jets were completely clueless. Was Watts there specifically to mock him?

Yes, they came looking for them right after launching the attack. Isn't that blatant boasting and a threat?

They even deliberately asked the Empire why it was making such a big move. This is truly... intolerable.

Anil suddenly remembered something: the state of Chitral reported that a plane had been shot down by a missile at sea, and it was unclear who attacked it or who crashed it, and the investigation could not be carried out due to electronic interference.

It must have been done by one of the brave pilots, right? It definitely was!
Anil immediately said:
"Yes, we shot down the Imperial invaders' planes!"

(End of this chapter)