Beacon AI Flies Murdock Pilot Assistant on Three USAF KC-46A Tankers
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SAN CARLOS – – October 29, 2026 -- Beacon AI flew its Murdock AI pilot assistant aboard three operational U.S. Air Force KC-46A Pegasus tankers over five flights and about 20 hours in August and September 2026, under an AFWERX Tactical Funding Increase (TACFI) contract with Air Mobility Command (AMC). The company believes it is the first commercially developed AI pilot assistant to fly on multiple operational aircraft.
The flights began during Emerald Flag at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and continued at two more airfields, one of them a civil airport. The aircraft were already assigned to operational units and flown by fleet aircrews, not dedicated test crews.