GE Aerospace is teaming with Boston-based startup Merlin, a developer of autonomous flight systems for military and civil aircraft, to create an artificial intelligence platform that the companies predict could change how future aircraft are flown.
The companies are building what they call an “autonomy core,” a reimagined avionics environment rather than a new cockpit design. The system combines GE’s widely used flight management technology with Merlin’s autonomy software to act as the central brains for future flight decks.
The companies say the technology will reduce pilot workload, support single-pilot operations in large aircraft, and could eventually enable AI-powered uncrewed missions.
The US Air Force plans to introduce the technology through the KC-135 Center Console Refresh. That program aims to replace cockpit components on the tanker fleet that manufacturers no longer produce. By adding autonomy functions to the upgrade, the Air Force hopes to extend the life of the fleet while testing how AI-driven systems can support operations with fewer pilots.
Merlin already works with Air Force Materiel Command to integrate autonomy features into KC-135s. GE Aerospace adds weight to the effort, since operators have installed GE’s flight management systems in more than 14,000 aircraft worldwide. The companies said GE’s open-system design lets them adapt Merlin’s software across both existing and future platforms.
Matt Burns, General Manager, Avionics Systems at GE Aerospace, said the project brings together proven and emerging technologies in new ways. “We’re pairing our flight management expertise with Merlin’s autonomy software to reduce pilot workload and support next-generation operations,” he said.
The KC-135 fleet, which entered service in the 1950s, remains central to US airpower because of its role in aerial refueling. The Air Force must replace its outdated cockpit hardware to sustain the fleet. Introducing autonomy functions at the same time gives the Air Force the chance to test how such systems perform in real operations. If the effort succeeds, the technology could expand into transport aircraft, other refueling platforms, and eventually commercial fleets.
A team of engineers in Boston founded Merlin to bring autonomy into aviation. The company has since flown hundreds of autonomous test missions around the world and has secured more than $100 million in US defense contracts, partnering with companies such as Honeywell and Northrop Grumman.
The company promotes its approach as “aircraft-agnostic” autonomy that can retrofit legacy platforms as well as support new designs. Its engineers built the software to manage an aircraft from takeoff through landing, with flexibility to adapt across different types.
Several companies are developing pilot-assist and autonomous flight systems, but GE’s involvement shows that major suppliers now see the technology moving closer to adoption. Airlines, facing long-term pilot shortages and rising training costs, would welcome tools that allow them to operate with fewer crew while keeping safety margins intact. An autonomy core that can drop into existing fleets could be especially attractive to carriers that want incremental gains without waiting for all-new aircraft.
By combining GE systems with Merlin’s autonomy package, the companies are betting that AI will play a central role in flight operations in the years ahead. For now, the KC-135 program will provide the first test. If the autonomy core proves itself there, the technology could move quickly into civilian fleets, where airlines are eager for solutions that ease workloads in the cockpit and help address the shortage of qualified pilots.
