After exchanging pleasantries for a while, the group began heading toward the airfield. Although the secure command building was right next to the tarmac, Nick and the others still took an airfield shuttle bus for a four-to-five-minute ride to reach the active flight line.
This live-flight evaluation was entirely closed to the public, so besides Nick and his executive staff, there were only essential technical personnel and flight engineers from the Flight Test Center present.
Nick did not accompany the official delegation up to the Control Tower; instead, he walked out alone onto the open concrete apron of the flight test grounds.
Here, he finally crossed paths with the Deputy Chief Engineer, Sebastian, whom he hadn't managed to spot earlier during the indoor briefings.
Seeing Nick approach through the terminal gates, a visibly preoccupied Sebastian stepped forward and shook his hand firmly, saying, "CEO Nicholas, glad you could make it down to the line."
Nick nodded with an appreciative smile, "Chief Keller, you and your engineering crew have been working around the clock on this cycle. How are the pre-flight checks looking?"
Sebastian waved his hand dismissively, downplaying the effort, and said, "It hasn't been that bad, honestly. Your software architecture team already built the core neural framework; my team is just integrating the tactical hardware content into it. We have already cleared a rigorous series of preliminary simulation testing phases, such as supercomputer models, human-machine dialogue loops, and we've even validated the software on an airborne testbed platform.
The operational performance of this system has been absolutely flawless. As for today's live-flight test, the primary objective is to integrate our intelligent voice auxiliary system directly into an active fighter jet, analyze its corresponding functions during high-stress flight phases, and systematically verify the operational reliability of the entire processing architecture.
Specifically, when a fighter jet executes high-G, high-speed tactical maneuvers, a massive surge of dynamic telemetry data is generated instantaneously. How to correctly identify, read, filter, and prioritize the broadcasting of critical safety data over minor system alerts is the core capability we are focusing on validating this morning."
Hearing Sebastian's technical breakdown, Nick nodded in agreement. This specific evaluation matrix was indeed exceptionally demanding. When an advanced fighter jet executes high-G maneuvers, its structural velocity is blistering, and a staggering volume of real-time telemetry data hits the onboard computers in a fraction of a second. This reality requires the AI software to instantly harvest useful data points from the digital noise, rank them according to safety priority, and execute zero-latency broadcasting and processing of mission-critical information.
During an active flight profile, these high-velocity maneuvers typically occur when the aircraft is operating at the absolute edge of its performance envelope or facing an immediate hazard—such as ultra-low-altitude terrain masking, high-alpha defensive rolls, or during high-friction dogfights and radical evasive maneuvers to break a missile lock.
Therefore, for both the multimillion-dollar aircraft and the pilot at the stick, every single split second at this critical juncture dictates life or death. This operational reality demands that the system's processing response velocity be as instantaneous, accurate, and ironclad as humanly possible, which undoubtedly places brutal performance demands on their software stack.
"There are dozens of environmental variables affecting real-time software performance. Beyond the base optimization level of the code itself, it's also deeply tethered to the physical avionics hardware of the jet. For instance, the processing throughput of the main computer hosting the software, and the polling rate of the various onboard sensors feeding it the telemetry," Nick observed.
Hearing his analysis, Sebastian replied with a knowing smile, "We've meticulously modeled exactly what you just highlighted. That's precisely why we chose the F-15EX Eagle II, which commands the most robust processing capacity among our active fleet, as our primary flight test platform.
This specific fighter is integrated with a brand-new, state-of-the-art digital electronic warfare suite and an advanced fly-by-wire system. It's safe to say that among current front-line fighters, its level of digitized data architecture is second only to the F-35 Lightning II. We couldn't legally get our hands on a security-cleared F-35 for a private corporate joint test, so we had to utilize this Eagle II as our heavy substitute.
My department had to burn through an immense amount of political capital and red tape just to secure the authorization for this tail number. Of course, we also expended a massive amount of engineering hours just to physically integrate our software chassis into its avionics bay. The array of specialized sensors and dedicated telemetry hardware we installed in the airframe alone added up to roughly seventy-seven pounds of dead weight.
You know as well as I do that weight on a fighter jet cannot be added arbitrarily. It doesn't just alter the clean aerodynamic profile; it can also severely impact the aircraft's structural load limits and center of gravity during flight.
Especially on a high-performance strike fighter like this, and specifically within the tight spatial geometry of the cockpit canopy, the balance is incredibly sensitive. To mitigate this risk, I had to bring in specialized aerospace structural designers from the prime contractors for direct engineering guidance before we could legally sign off on the airframe modification work."
Although Nick didn't know the exact classified specifications of the sensor packages integrated into the jet, for the total hardware addition to reach seventy-seven pounds, it was abundantly clear from Sebastian's tone that the engineering team had fought through a massive nightmare of physical integration hurdles.
At that moment, two test pilots outfitted in specialized flight suits and heavy green G-suits walked out onto the concrete apron, carrying their grey tactical flight helmets by the visors.
Upon spotting Nick, the two officers instantly snapped to attention and delivered a crisp military salute. Seeing the gesture, Nick stepped forward quickly to return the respect, shaking hands with each pilot in turn.
"How's the headspace, gentlemen? Who's taking the stick today?" Nick asked with an easy smile, noting the relaxed, confident posture of the two aviators.
Jeyce smiled back, shifting his helmet, and said, "I've got the primary flight profile today, sir. Harry here is sitting on backup duty in the ready room."
Nick nodded, offering his hand once more, "I don't really know the insider aviation lingo for good luck, so I'll just give it to you straight—check six, have a safe flight, and bring her back down smoothly on the numbers."
"Haha, much appreciated, Mr. Nicholas!" Jeyce said with a grin. "Honestly, those words are the best thing a test pilot can hear before strapping into the ejection seat."
"Hehe, I initially wanted to use the classic old phrase 'may you have a smooth journey with the wind,' but then my engineering brain kicked in and I realized that would be a terrible curse. It turns out a strong tailwind isn't exactly a pilot's best friend during a critical flight profile," Nick joked.
"Haha, we actually hear that line all the time, especially from visiting politicians and corporate boards. But since they clearly mean well, we can't exactly stop them on the tarmac and give them an aerodynamics lecture on lift, can we? So we just smile and comfort ourselves internally.
A tailwind is just a tailwind; aside from making your takeoff roll a little longer and degrading your lift coefficients, it won't break the jet, and it's certainly a hell of a lot better than a nasty crosswind," Jeyce joked back with the group. Even though he was seconds away from pushing a multi-million-dollar fighter jet to its absolute structural limits, his composure was completely unshakable; over a decade of high-risk military flight testing had made him incredibly stoic under pressure.
Hahaha... Indeed, aviators have their own deeply rooted superstitions, professional taboos, and phrases they absolutely detest. For example, 'crosswind' is a word that instantly gives every pilot on the flight line a headache. Especially during the critical phases of takeoff and final approach, the absolute biggest operational taboo is a violent, unpredictable crosswind. So by comparison, a predictable tailwind is at least a minor luxury compared to fighting a crosswind on a slick runway.
And the classic 'headwind' that ordinary everyday citizens complain about during their commutes is actually a fighter pilot's absolute favorite atmospheric condition. Because in a strong headwind environment, both the takeoff velocity requirements and the final landing roll distances are incredibly favorable for the airframe.
"We're right on the clock, gentlemen. Let's start pre-flight boarding," Sebastian said to the group after checking his rugged tactical watch.
Jeyce nodded, snapped to attention to salute Nick and Sebastian one last time, and then turned to walk out across the open tarmac toward the idling F-15EX alongside Harry.
"When you wheels-down back on the deck, the first round of drinks at the lounge is entirely on my corporate card!" Nick suddenly couldn't resist calling out across the windy apron.
Jeyce, walking briskly toward the towering twin tails of the fighter jet, didn't break his stride or look back, but simply threw a confident thumbs-up high over his shoulder.
Nick smiled at the sight, then turned back to the deputy chief engineer, "Chief Keller, I'm going to head up to the Control Center to join the general's delegation. Head on up as soon as you wrap up the line launch."
Sebastian nodded, turning back toward his ground crew, "You go ahead, Nicholas. My team will join you the second she taxis out."
"Sounds like a plan!"
Nick caught a ride back to the secure Control Center building. He had barely settled into his leather chair in the viewing gallery when he looked through the reinforced glass and saw the heavy fighter jet on the distant tarmac fire up its twin afterburners, slowly taxiing out toward the main departure runway.