Boeing has announced a collaboration with American defense startup Shield AI to integrate autonomous capabilities and artificial intelligence (AI) into existing and future defense platforms.

A memorandum of understanding was signed during the Air Force Association Warfare Symposium on March 7.

Boeing’s new partner is a known manufacturer of AI systems such as Hivemind, which enables swarms of drones and aircraft to operate autonomously without the need for GPS and communications systems.

According to Shield AI president Brandon Tseng, integrating its AI pilot system with Boeing’s aircraft would redefine what large warplanes – crewed or uncrewed – could do.

“AI pilots are the most strategic deterrent technology since the introduction of stealth aircraft and have proven successful in flying air-combat scenarios,” he said.

“As the world leader in aerospace technology, Boeing has been exceptionally easy to engage with, so we are excited to expand our scope of work to co-develop, productize, and bring to market the world’s best AI pilot for large aircraft.”

The Hivemind AI Pilot

Shield AI’s Hivemind enables military drones and warplanes to autonomously perform room clearance, penetrate air defense systems, and engage in aerial dogfighting.

It utilizes AI to read and react to the battlefield and does not need communication systems to make decisions.

A computer on the ground tells the aircraft and the autopilot where to go and what to do to execute its missions.

Since it does not need GPS, the Hivemind allows military aircraft to operate in highly-contested and GPS-denied environments.

“Hivemind applications are portable, modular, and composable, making it faster and more cost effective to develop new autonomous capabilities and behaviors for aerial platforms,” Shield AI states on its website.