France plans under the Hyparion program to deploy crewed fighter jets operating alongside combat drones by 2028, according to Defense News.
The program focuses on developing an open, modular and sovereign artificial intelligence architecture. The aim is to keep control of critical systems under government authority rather than relying primarily on private companies, Colonel Cédric emphasized when discussing the plans.
The drones, described in reports as "loyal wingmen," are intended to operate in cooperation with piloted aircraft. Artificial intelligence is expected to assist pilots in mission planning, in-flight decision support and post-mission analysis.
The Defence AI Ministry Agency (Védelmi MI Minisztériumi Ügynökség) will be responsible for providing the sovereign AI technology. The article notes that rapid advances in AI have prompted several Western defence contractors to experiment with similar concepts; Hyparion places emphasis on a government-owned, open architecture.
Test phase and platforms
Two Mirage 2000 fighters will be converted into test aircraft at the Mont-de-Marsan airbase. These will be used to exercise and measure the AI capabilities, with tests expected to begin by the end of this year. Initial evaluations will include flight-related parameters such as energy consumption.
Lessons learned could later inform the Rafale F5 platform and other next-generation aircraft projects.
Position among international efforts
Publicly available information indicates that even the most advanced military powers are currently at the testing stage with comparable concepts. With a 2028 target, France could rank among the global leaders in this area.
Key facts and dates
- Program name: Hyparion
- Source: Defense News
- Responsible for sovereign AI: Védelmi MI Minisztériumi Ügynökség (Defence AI Ministry Agency)
- Test platforms: two converted Mirage 2000s at Mont-de-Marsan airbase
- Test start: from the end of this year (per the report)
- Target for crewed-fighter/drone operational capability: 2028
The article notes the cover image is illustrative; image source: Getty Images.
