"I can clearly -- in my mind -- envision a way to say ‘fly a defensive combat spread, shoot on this target,’ and I will squeeze the trigger or I will enable that unmanned platform to shoot the designated target," Rear Adm. Gregory Harris says.
Headlines have celebrated the carrier's new F-35s -- but the Navy also added upgrades to the Vinson for the MQ-25 refueling drone, which could be a game-changer for future ops.
It’s about improving existing platforms with autonomy, and applying AI, edge computing, quantum encryption, and sensor fusion.
The long road the F-35 took to finally being ready to deploy has forced the Navy's new $13 billion carrier class to leave the plane behind -- for now at least.