The U.S. Air Force has begun conducting Top Gun–style air combat tests where human fighter pilots train alongside AI-piloted drones, marking a major shift in how future air wars will be fought. These exercises simulate real, high-stress dogfights where AI systems fly autonomously, react in milliseconds, and adapt tactics mid-mission—pushing human pilots to operate at an entirely new level. Unlike traditional drones, these AI wingmen are designed to think, maneuver, and decide independently, coor