AI takes over Gripen E fighter jet in dogfight trial against real pilot

Combat testing of the AI-piloted Gripen E warplane was done by Saab and German defence startup, Helsing, marking a step forward in Europe's effort to compete on autonomy in defence

Swedish defence contractor, Saab, on Wednesday announced that it has conducted successful testing of an artificial intelligence (AI) system piloting a Gripen E warplane in combat scenarios against a real fighter pilot, Reuters reported.

 

The combat testing was done by Saab and a German defence startup, Helsing. It marks a step forward in Europe’s effort to compete on autonomy in defence. The trial has also become the first- publicly known instance of AI being tested in a warplane beyond visual range (BVR) rather than in close-range dogfights or on a test aircraft. It was also the first time AI controlled a fully operational jet.

 

 

The European trials, known as ‘Projects Beyond’, were carried out between May 28 and June 3 and included three flights, the last of which pitted Helsing’s ‘Centaur’ AI agent piloting a Gripen E against a human-operated Gripen D fighter jet, the report added, citing a statement from the companies.

 

Projects Beyond was funded by the Swedish government, and while the trial remained inconclusive in regards to who performed better, the AI pilot jet or the human top gun, it did indicate an increasing focus on integrating AI and autonomy into combat systems.

 

  Saab’s Chief Innovation Officer Marcus Wandt, a Swedish astronaut and ex-fighter pilot, told journalists, “I would say it is not a given who will win... you have to be on your game as a pilot.”  

Wandt further said, “If you need to retrain for a new weapon system or new tactics, it will be difficult to stay on par. Right now, there are still pilots out there that will have a chance, but that will change fast.”

 

The trial comes at a time when Saab is exploring new concepts for the next generation of combat jets, which is likely to feature a mix of crewed and uncrewed aircraft, under Sweden’s KFS future air combat study.

Key details

 

AI control: Gripen E jet handed over control to AI agent ‘Centaur’ for BVR air combat tests.

 

Safety protocol: A safety pilot was onboard to take control if needed.

 

Simulated combat: Another human-piloted Gripen acted as the adversary.

 

Tech capability: Enabled by Gripen E’s advanced, adaptable architecture.

 

AI functionality: Centaur processes onboard sensor data to plan, engage enemies, and evade threats autonomously.

 

Rapid development: From concept to live flights in under six months.