{"time":1759977447740,"blocks":[{"id":"mgit4px8","type":"video","data":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/df7cf06a-c364-4e40-b0dc-7a2448fcab4f/mp4","caption":"","autoplay":false,"controls":true,"muted":false,"stretched":true,"width":0,"height":0,"image":{"url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/df7cf06a-c364-4e40-b0dc-7a2448fcab4f/thumbnail"},"cdn":{"videoId":"df7cf06a-c364-4e40-b0dc-7a2448fcab4f","libraryId":"372172","collectionId":"30032062-eefd-4041-a355-12ad05bc987b","cdnBaseUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net","mp4Url":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/df7cf06a-c364-4e40-b0dc-7a2448fcab4f/mp4","thumbnailUrl":"https://us-central1-deweb-519a7.cloudfunctions.net/mediaService-api/videos/df7cf06a-c364-4e40-b0dc-7a2448fcab4f/thumbnail","previewAnimationUrl":"https://vz-052fc010-b27.b-cdn.net/df7cf06a-c364-4e40-b0dc-7a2448fcab4f/preview.webp"}}},{"id":"Cac_tP2E9_","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"By Kris Osborn, Warrior"}},{"id":"TUavbazkAV","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"(Washington, DC) China’s publicly displayed J-20S is the first-ever-to-exist twin-seat stealth aircraft, something defining as a historical marker, yet the addition of a second “seat” in the famous J-20 Mighty Dragon raises significant new questions about PRC military Concepts of Operation. "}},{"id":"IPF3NzIYGl","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The most immediate and self-evident observation might simply be that the PLA greatly values human insight and decision-making in air combat. Given the PRCs emphasis upon AI, and the ability of an AI-empowered threat to defeat a human pilot in simulated dogfights, the addition of a second human to the J-20 tells us something about Chinese thinking when it comes to AI vs. human cognition in the realm of high-speed combat decision making. "}},{"id":"_l_h_Uon-z","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Clearly the creation of the J-20S involved some tradeoffs, as a two-seat stealth fighter naturally weighs more and is not likely to be as fast or maneuverable. The second seat, however, might better enable high-speed command and control, weapons targeting, radar technological program and threat tracking mission. "}},{"id":"Zn0fVclZa3","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Chinese View on AI "}},{"id":"OUnlTPQXYt","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Knowing how fast and how capable AI-empowered fighter jet operations are, why would the PLA AF add a second human to its stealth fighter? Perhaps PLA decision-makers have a view somewhat similar to the United States when it comes to fully autonomous AI-driven operations? The Pentagon believes that the optimal approach is to blend the two through “human-machine-interface” in order to leverage optimal characteristics of each and blend them together in support of one another."}},{"id":"4JXwwdjO5V","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"This approach would suggest that the Chinese, much like the Pentagon, believe there are attributes and characteristics unique to human cognition and consciousness which cannot be replicated by mathematically-generated algorithms. It would be accurate to say that this is the consensus or prevailing viewpoint at the Pentagon, meaning weapons developers do not support the use of AI-enabled autonomous lethal force. Rather combat effectiveness is optimized when AI-enabled computing and human decision-making faculties operate in close coordination with one another."}},{"id":"B3jefFWsqc","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"AI-enabled Copilot"}},{"id":"XUQL099HXQ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"The US Air Force Research Laboratory has taken this man-machine blending to a new level with an experimental program designed to “optimize” the best combination of human and AI-empowered capabilities by placing an AI-copilot in a fighter jet to support a human pilot. The concept is to lessen the cognitive load on a pilot by performing many of the procedural functions with a high-speed, AI-enabled computer supporting a human decision maker. The AI copilot used for the AFRL experiment was called Artuu, and the service sought to harness lessons learned from the test operations. "}},{"id":"rkbOEGDdZZ","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"What then are the advantages of a twin-seat J-20? The first and most pressing of which would seem to pertain to drone controls, manned-unmanned teaming and the use of a “loyal wingman” drone. This means the two-seat stealth fighter could operate like a small, fast, stealthy flying command and control hub operating drones, conducting targeting and maintaining multi-domain battlefield awareness. "}},{"id":"8fNdZAHFwX","type":"paragraph","data":{"text":"Kris Osborn is the President of Warrior Maven – Center for Military Modernization. Osborn previously served at the Pentagon as a highly qualified expert in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Army—Acquisition, Logistics & Technology. Osborn has also worked as an anchor and on-air military specialist at national TV networks. He has appeared as a guest military expert on Fox News, MSNBC, The Military Channel, and The History Channel. He also has a Masters Degree in Comparative Literature from Columbia University"}}]}

China's 2-Seat J-20S Indicates PLA View on AI