Autonomy isn’t capability until it’s tested - Air Force Test Center

Key facts

• AFTC: autonomous systems must undergo live, mission-representative testing to be considered operational capabilities.
• Priority test objectives include safety certification, ML assurance, human-machine teaming and resilience to contested environments.
• Industry partnerships and instrumented test ranges accelerate transition from prototypes to mission-ready systems.

2 minute read

The U.S. Air Force Test Center (AFTC) has restated a practical imperative for autonomy development: validation through realistic testing is the difference between a research demo and an operational capability. While simulations and lab trials are essential early steps, AFTC leaders argue these environments cannot reveal many system behaviours that appear only in flight, in complex airspace, or under electronic attack. Testing focuses on mission-representative scenarios that exercise safety-critical functions, machine-learning components, and procedures for human oversight and intervention. Evaluations also aim to assess resilience against jamming, spoofing and kinetic threats so that autonomous platforms remain predictable and controllable in contested theatres. To achieve this, the Test Center leverages instrumented ranges and multi-party test events that mix uncrewed and crewed systems and involve industry partners in iterative test–fix–test cycles. For European militaries and industry, the lesson is clear: invest in open, interoperable test infrastructure, adopt shared assessment standards across NATO, and budget for extended validation in procurement programmes. Without such commitments, autonomy risks being fielded prematurely—capable in controlled demonstrations but brittle in real operations. Robust testing and allied coordination are therefore prerequisites for turning autonomy into dependable capability.

Source: SUAS News