An artificial intelligence system took control of a Swedish Saab Gripen E fighter jet and engaged in a dogfight with another aircraft.

German defence company Helsing has integrated the ‘Centaur’ artificial intelligence (AI) system into a Gripen E fighter and conducted three test flights between 28 May and 3 June as part of its ‘Project Beyond’ programme, which promotes autonomy in defence systems.

In the final of the test flight, the Centaur system assumed control of the aicraft from the pilot and engaged in a dogfight against a manned Gripen D fighter.

During the tests, Centaur demonstrated its ability to autonomously navigate the Gripen E in BVR (Beyond Visual Range) scenarios, in which targets are engaged at distances beyond visual contact, relying heavily on radar and sensor data.

The fighter successfully executed complex manoeuvers, and the system even indicated to the pilot when to fire his missiles.

Funded by the Swedish government, the test did not reach definitive conclusions as to whether the pilot or the artificial intelligence performed better, but they underscore a growing emphasis on integrating autonomy into combat systems.

Details of the tests were revealed ahead of next week’s Paris Air Show 2025. For several months, companies have been feeding the system with data equivalent to 30 years of experience every week.

In April 2024, a modified F-16, the ‘X-62A VISTA’, equipped with an artificial intelligence system from Shield AI, flew against a manned F-16.

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