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Documented

Development of AI-Enabled Autonomous Combat Aircraft and Drones in China and the US

September 15, 2026
oecd:2026-09-15-a03dView source ↗

What happened

China and the US are advancing sixth-generation fighter jets and AI-enabled unmanned drones with autonomous flight, navigation, and coordinated combat capabilities. These systems, still in development and testing, pose potential future risks due to their autonomous and lethal functions, but no harm has yet occurred.

Reported impact

Affected parties
Not publicly disclosed
Harm type
Not publicly disclosed
Scale
Not publicly disclosed
Financial impact
Not publicly disclosed
Regulatory action
Not publicly disclosed

Classification

Organization
Not publicly disclosed
AI system
Not publicly disclosed
Industry
Not publicly disclosed
Country
Not publicly disclosed
Provider
Not publicly disclosed
Incident type
Not publicly disclosed

Relevant governance controls

Governance control mapping is not available for this record.

  • No controls mappedNot publicly disclosed

Control mapping is analytical. It does not state that any control would have prevented the incident.

Sources and evidence

OECD AI Incidents Monitor
Primary source
Development of AI-Enabled Autonomous Combat Aircraft and Drones in China and the US
2026-09-15