TLDR: Saab, in collaboration with German AI firm Helsing, has successfully completed initial flight tests integrating Helsing’s ‘Centaur’ AI agent into a Gripen E fighter jet. The AI autonomously managed complex Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat scenarios, marking a significant advancement in AI’s role in defense technology and demonstrating rapid capability development in operational aircraft.
Saab, the Swedish aerospace and defense company, has announced a significant breakthrough in military aviation with the successful integration of an artificial intelligence (AI) agent, ‘Centaur,’ developed by German firm Helsing, into its Gripen E fighter jet. This milestone, part of Saab’s ‘Project Beyond,’ was officially announced on June 11, 2025, following a series of three successful test flights conducted over the Baltic Sea.
The initial flight took place on May 28, 2025, with two subsequent sorties, including a simulated engagement against a manned Gripen D aircraft on June 3. During these trials, the Centaur AI agent took autonomous control of the Gripen E in simulated Beyond Visual Range (BVR) combat scenarios. Its responsibilities included managing the aircraft’s mission systems, real-time decision-making based on sensor inputs, threat tracking, tactical planning, maneuvering, and weapon cueing. Notably, the AI successfully cued the human pilot to fire on the adversary aircraft.
A key aspect of this achievement is that the AI software was embedded directly into the operational systems of a standard Gripen E, rather than an experimental platform. Peter Nilsson, Head of Advanced Programs at Saab, emphasized the significance of this approach, stating, “This is an important milestone for us, showing that AI integration doesn’t need to wait for future airframes or labs. We’re focused on accelerating capability development through software.” Johan Segertoft, head of Saab’s Gripen business unit, further highlighted that the aircraft used was ‘not a test aircraft, is not an experimental aircraft,’ underscoring its readiness for potential customer evaluation.
The development and integration process was remarkably swift, taking less than six months from scenario design to the first flight, with intensive work commencing in April 2025. Antoine Bordes, VP of Artificial Intelligence at Helsing, illustrated the efficiency of the AI’s learning, noting, “We estimate that the [AI] agent that flew [during the third flight] last week, flew for around 50 years of the equivalent pilot years, but it took us only a few hours to do that.”
Safety remained paramount throughout the tests, with a human safety pilot always onboard, retaining the ability to override the AI’s commands if necessary. The trials also assessed Centaur’s adaptability under challenging conditions, including altered starting distances, velocities, angles, and even with command and control (C2) data disabled, to evaluate its resilience.
This project is fully sponsored by the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) and forms a crucial part of Sweden’s Concept programme for Future Fighter Systems. Saab holds a 5% stake in Helsing, having invested €75 million ($85.7 million) in the German defense AI startup in 2023, solidifying their strategic partnership.
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Following these successful initial flights, Saab and Helsing will analyze the collected data and continue to refine the Centaur AI. Additional flight tests are scheduled for later in 2025, with potential plans to explore more complex engagements, such as two-versus-one and two-versus-two scenarios, and to extend the AI’s capabilities to other missions like air-to-ground sorties and Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defence (SEAD/DEAD).
