The United States military reached a new milestone at the Edwards Air Force Base in California when an artificial intelligence (AI)-operated fighter jet was tested as the country prepares to shift to autonomous warplanes in the coming years.

An experimental orange and white F-16 fighter jet was launched without any human-pilot control as Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall seated inside the cockpit of the jet as it independently flew him with a familiar roar that is a hallmark of U.S. airpower.

“It’s a security risk not to have it. At this point, we have to have it,” Kendall said in an interview with the Associated Press after he landed. The outlet was granted permission to cover the historic event after agreeing that it would not be aired until the programme was completed.

According to VOA, the AI-controlled jet, called Vista, flew Kendall in lightning-fast maneuvers at more than 800 kph while exerting a pressure that is five times the force of gravity on him as it raced and performed maneuvers with another human piloted F-16.

Following the completion of the hour-long test flight, Kendall said he has seen enough to trust the still-learning to launch weapons during war but admits there would always be an human oversight when weapons are used after concerns were raised about the program.

“There are widespread and serious concerns about ceding life-and-death decisions to sensors and software — autonomous weapons are an immediate cause of concern and demand an urgent, international political response,” the International Committee of the Red Cross warned.