Sweden defense company, Saab has completed the first test flights of its Gripen E fighter jet with an artificial intelligence (AI) system called Centaur in the cockpit. This happened under a special research program known as Project Beyond.
The test flights took place between May 28 and early June 2025. But what made them special was not just the flying. It was that an AI co-pilot controlled the aircraft and performed real combat actions during these missions. This was not a simulator or test plane. This was a fully operational Gripen E fighter jet flying in real airspace.
The AI system, Centaur, was developed by Helsing, a defense technology company based in Europe. The system was fully built into the jet and flew real Beyond Visual Range (BVR) missions. These are the types of missions where fighter jets have to detect and engage enemies from long distances, often without seeing them with the naked eye.
The AI used live sensor data. It tracked targets. It made split-second decisions. The control team suddenly cut off communication to test how the AI would react under pressure.
“This is an important achievement for Saab, demonstrating our qualitative edge in sophisticated technologies by making AI deliver in the air,” said Nilsson in an official statement.
He also explained how Saab’s fighter jet could take in new software, such as AI, without changing the jet’s design. That flexibility helped the team integrate the AI quickly and safely.
Nilsson added, “The swift integration and successful flight testing of Helsing’s AI in a Gripen E exemplifies the accelerated capability gain that our fighter offers. We are excited to continue developing and refining our use of this and other AI agents. We will once again show how our fighters will outperform faster than the opponent can evolve.”
Unlike many other fighter jets worldwide, the Gripen E does not require special changes or test conditions to fly with new systems. It can take advanced software upgrades and fly in real environments, without extra risk. That makes it different from most jets, which require controlled testing zones or completely redesigned models for this kind of trial.
The third test flight on June 3 was the most advanced. Specifically, engineers put Centaur through several challenging situations in the sky. For example, it faced a real Gripen D aircraft as its opponent. As a result, it had to react using only live data from its sensors.
The testing team made things harder by changing the jet’s speed, distance, and direction. They even shut off its command-and-control signals in the middle of the mission. But Centaur still managed to handle the situation and carry out the mission smoothly.
Project Beyond is a joint program between Saab, Helsing, and Sweden’s defense agency known as FMV. It is part of a bigger defense plan called the Concept program. This program is working to design the next generation of fighter systems using smart technology and AI.
Nilsson said the project is more than just about flying “Within Project Beyond and other programs, we utilize the power of software to rapidly explore and blur the lines between ‘now’ and the future; in software, there are no generations, only speed,” he explained.
Saab and Helsing will review the flight data and continue testing Centaur for the rest of the year. Their goal is to keep improving the AI’s ability to handle real combat situations. They also want to prepare for future missions. Those missions may require fast, independent thinking.
