US Air Force AI Fighter Gets Real Eyes with Major Radar Upgrade

The experimental fighter jet that has already proven it can dogfight human pilots is about to get a major upgrade that will let it see them coming from miles away.

Raytheon, an RTX business, announced today that it has secured a contract to equip the U.S. Air Force’s X-62A VISTA (Variable In-flight Simulation Test Aircraft) with its cutting-edge PhantomStrike® radar. The move marks a critical evolution for the AI-piloted aircraft, transitioning it from a platform that relies on simulated sensor data to one capable of "seeing" the battlefield with its own hardware.


The "PhantomStrike" Upgrade
Until now, the X-62A—a highly modified F-16—has primarily been used to test flight control algorithms, relying on computers to "tell" the AI where an enemy is during training exercises. The integration of PhantomStrike changes the game by giving the AI legitimate sensory input.

PhantomStrike is described as a first-of-its-kind, air-cooled Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar.

Compact Power: Weighing less than 150 pounds, it is significantly lighter than traditional fighter radars.

Gallium Nitride (GaN) Tech: It uses advanced semiconductor technology to deliver high-performance signal strength without needing the heavy liquid-cooling systems found in older jets.

Cost-Effective: Raytheon claims it offers superior capability at nearly half the cost of typical fire-control radars.

"This radar is revolutionary... in how we manufacture it," said a Raytheon spokesperson. "It allows the X-62A to engage in Beyond-Visual-Range (BVR) combat testing, which is the reality of modern air warfare."

Preparing for "Loyal Wingmen"
This upgrade is not just about making one jet smarter; it is a stepping stone for the Air Force’s ambitious Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) program. The Pentagon plans to build a fleet of thousands of autonomous drones ("loyal wingmen") that will fly alongside manned fighters like the F-35 and the Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform.

By testing the PhantomStrike radar on the X-62A, the Air Force is effectively building the "nervous system" for these future drones. The AI will learn not just how to fly, but how to interpret "messy" real-world radar returns, distinguish friends from foes, and execute long-range intercepts without human hand-holding.

A History of "Firsts"
The X-62A VISTA has already made history multiple times. In 2024, it successfully engaged in the first-ever nose-to-nose dogfight against a human-piloted F-16, a feat that Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall experienced firsthand from the cockpit.

With the new radar installation slated for early 2026, the aircraft will move from close-range turning fights to complex, multi-agent scenarios where it must detect and neutralize threats before they are even visible to the naked eye.