“We have found ways to use VISTA that were not envisioned by the original designers, so we were running into frustrating limitations. The modifications will address these limitations and profoundly improve our ability to quickly and safely test an almost unlimited variety of radical control law configurations. Even so, the X-62A will continue to serve as a curriculum aircraft, and will be an even brighter symbol of our aspirations.”-William Gray, VISTA and TPS chief test pilot

On 30JUL2021, the Edwards Air Force Base, California, 412th Test Wing Public Affairs announced that back on 14JUN2021 the NF-16D VISTA had been reclassified as the X-62A.

The Lockheed-Martin VISTA (Visual Interactive Simulation Training Application) program is being replaced with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s System for Autonomous Control of Simulation (SACS), aka Skyborg program.

Skyborg is yet another attempt to create artificial intelligence/machine learning weapon systems, this time the goal is to create ‘low-cost’ combat drones that can operate as teams in a hostile environment.  It will also work alongside human piloted combat aircraft.

Anybody wondering what the ‘N’ in NF-16D means, it stands for Special Test-Permanent.  Of course the ‘X’ in X-62A means radical or experimental.

Terminator: XQ-58A, THE OTHER VALKYRIE, already a failed museum piece?

Vehicle I-D 2019: ‘NEW’ NF-16D VISTA