SAAB recently declared the success of a test that involved handing the controls of a Gripen E fighter over to artificial intelligence (AI) in an air combat scenario. Is this the beginning of a new chapter in air combat?
The rise of AI in the past few years has been nothing short of meteoric. The technology has seen greater adoption rates than what was seen when the internet itself was born. The growth and capability of AI is exponential, and it was only a matter of time before it was deployed in the aerial defence arena.
SAAB recently performed a test on its latest generation of Gripen aircraft, the Gripen E. Helsing’s “Centaur” AI model was deployed within the aircraft’s radar, flight and mission computer, and was test flown in an air-to-air beyond visual range (BVR) simulation, where a bogey Gripen D aircraft was pitted against it. The controls were handed over to Centaur, and the Gripen E was successfully able to intercept and engage the Gripen D at a distance. Whilst this was a small step, it represented a paradigm shift in technology that may see the future of air combat change drastically in the next few years.
Helsing
Helsing describes itself as a “new type of defence company” that can “provide precision mass and autonomous capabilities to democracies so that they can deter and protect”. The German company was founded in 2021 by Torsten Reil, Gundbert Scherf, and Niklas Köhler, who have since deployed the technology in tests with multiple other defence companies including SAAB, Rheinmetall and Airbus. The rise of Helsing will likely be the first in a long line of new defence companies and existing defence giants who will be clamouring to acquire companies like this, given where the technology is headed.
What AI can do in air combat
The introduction of this kind of AI technology comes at a very ripe time in the development of onboard sensors found on fighter aircraft, which has never provided more detail in terms of situational awareness, threat detection and now – decision making. With onboard sensors now found already integrated in many of the latest 5th generation fighters and externally mounted sensors, AI can indeed offer an edge on decision making in air combat situations. Small and often very hard to spot details, such as a target aircraft’s speed or change in direction can be counteracted in a fraction of the time that a human can react, which is why this technology, once mature enough, can provide a real edge.
SAAB’s move to get ahead of this technology, and making the Gripen ready to adopt integrations with AI is a calculated move that was made in a timeous manner. In order to stay competitive and keep up with the growing utility (and threat) of AI, defence companies and defence forces around the world need to move with the times and the technology, the pace of which changes at an enormous rate. In the not-too-distant future, fighter pilots may rely heavily on early detection of threats and engage those threats with the assistance of AI in order to guarantee success, and as the technology matures, it may become more and more easy to integrate on older generation aircraft as well, and may change the way air combat is flown today.
https://www.saab.com/newsroom/press-releases/2025/saab-achieves-ai-milestone-with-gripen-e
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