US Air Force Sought 3 X-62 VISTA AI Combat Test Concepts and Received More Than 30

The U.S. Air Force received more than 30 proposed X-62 VISTA flight-test concepts for fiscal 2027 and 2028 after initially seeking three. An August 2026 research symposium at Edwards Air Force Base brought together more than 80 participants from industry, academia and the joint force to develop the proposals. The modified F-16 research aircraft is undergoing a Mission Systems Upgrade intended to expand it from flight-controls experimentation into a modular combat-autonomy testbed. The concepts will inform a shared research roadmap, while the Air Force has not identified selected projects, funding allocations or flight-test schedules.