GE Aerospace and Merlin announced a collaboration to develop an autonomy core platform designed to bring a new suite of AI-enabled pilot-assist and uncrewed flight capabilities to civil and defense aviation. The announcement came in a joint statement on Sept. 23, with the aim of addressing what the companies say is a growing demand for reduced crew workload and single-pilot operations.

The initiative will first be applied to the U.S. Air Force’s KC-135 Center Console Refresh program, a modernization effort intended to replace aging cockpit components. GE Aerospace and Merlin said the program will serve as an initial step toward autonomy integration, building on Merlin’s existing agreement with Air Force Materiel Command to test uncrewed flight technologies on the KC-135.

Expansion of the

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