Swedish defense giant Saab and German defense company Helsing have successfully tested an AI-powered fighter jet, marking a significant milestone in autonomous military aviation.
In three test flights, carried out between May 28 and June 3, 2025, the Gripen E fighter jet habded over control to Helsing’s AI agent, Centaur, which went on to autonomously perform complex maneuvers in beyond-visual-range (BVR) combat scenarios.
This breakthrough demonstrates the potential for AI to enhance air combat capabilities by managing tactical decisions and cueing pilots for weapon deployment, signaling a new era in fighter jet technology.
Groundbreaking AI Integration in Gripen E
The integration of Helsing’s Centaur AI into the Gripen E was achieved in under six months, demonstrating the jet’s advanced avionics architecture.
This achitectire separates software and hardware, allowing rapid third-party software integration without compromising flight-critical systems or requiring extensive clearance testing.
This modularity allows the Gripen E to swiftly adopt new capabilities, giving it a qualitative edge in technological sophistication and operational flexibility.
Autonomous Beyond-Visual-Range Combat Maneuvers
During these test flights, Centaur autonomously executed complex beyond visual range (BVR) combat maneuvers, which includes engaging enemy aircraft beyond the visual range of the pilot.
The AI managed target tracking, threat evasion and tactical positioning, demonstrating a high level of situational awareness.
It also told the pilot when to fire its weapons, combining AI autonomy with human oversight to optimize combat effectiveness and safety.
Real-Time Data Integration and Adaptive Combat
The capstone flight was a simulated dogfight against the manned Gripen D, where real-time sensor data was processed from Centaur to provide adversary tracking.
The AI adapted dynamically to shifts in speed, distance and flight angle, even when command-and-control links were disabled.
This adaptability emphasises complexity in Centaur utilisation, and its ability to function autonomously in contested airspace, a critical feature for future air combat scenarios.
Project Beyond: Pioneering AI in Military Aviation
Saab’s Project Beyond, which sponsored the Centaur tests, aims to explore how AI and other advanced technologies can be utilized to counter future threats.
The project is indicative of Sweden’s strategic vision for next-generation combat aircraft systems, with a focus on rapid software development cycles and the seamless integration of AI to maintain battefield superiority.
Security and Software Update Innovations
One of the key elements enabling these tests is the Gripen E’s design, which allows AI software to be fully integrated and operated in real operational missions, without being restricted to experimental test ranges or X-plane experiments.
This feature reduces the time and cost required for development, but still meets the stringent safety requirements, establishing a new level of sophistication for military aircraft software upgrades.
AI Training and Experience Simulation
In preparation for the flights, Centaur was extensively trained in a simulator, where it competed against itself to accumulate the equivalent of 50 years of human pilot experience.
This intensive preparation ensured the AI was combat-ready, enhancing its decision-making capabilities and reliability during live flights.
Market Readiness and Future Developments
Saab considers the Gripen E combined with Centaur AI to be market-ready, although further development is planned to refine and expand the AI’s capabilities.
The company is trying to accelerate capability gains to stay ahead of potential adversaries’ technological evolution and maintain an edge of aerial warfare.
Strategic Implications for Air Combat
A successful demonstration of an AI-controlled fighter jet represents a revolution in air-combat tactics, where autonomous systems can augment or partially replace human pilots in complex combat environments.
This advancement aims to improve mission effectiveness, reduce pilot workload, and potentially trnasform the future battlefield landscape.
Continuing the Path Toward Autonomous Fighters
Saab and Helsing will continue analyzing flight data and training Centaur to improve its BVR combat performance.
Additional test flights are planned for the remainder of the year, reinforcing the commitment to developing trustworthy AI agents that can operate effectively alongside human pilots and adapt to evolving threats in real time
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