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Advanced / Transformational Technology

USAF and Merlin Labs Explore Autonomous Options for KC-135

Frank Wolfe

Thursday, May 30th, 2024

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USAF and Merlin Labs Explore Autonomous Options for KC-135

Pictured is a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 6th Air Refueling Wing at MacDill AFB, Fla. on Nov. 20th last year (U.S. Air Force Photo)

Boston-based Merlin Labs, Inc. said on May 30 that it is using data from flights of a KC-135 at MacDill AFB, Fla., "to better understand crew workload drivers and gather data to expand the autonomous capabilities of the Merlin Pilot for military use cases." "Conducted on May 14 and 15, the two flights enabled Merlin’s engineers to assess the tasks that pilots execute in-flight to determine where advanced automation capabilities would be the most impactful for safety, cost savings, and…

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