Revolution in air combat: Europe is set to launch an unmanned fighter jet

A fighter jet with no pilot

What seemed like a crazy futuristic dream in the recent past could become a reality in the coming years: European air forces may soon have unmanned fighter jets.

Two promising trials

Two test flights took place over the Baltic Sea on May 28 and June 3. As reported by the French outlet ‘Géo’, a "Gripen E" equipped with the "Centaur" artificial intelligence (AI) system successfully performed complex maneuvers completely autonomously.

A pilot overseeing the trials

'The Financial Times' reported that a human pilot was on board for the trials, but that their role was limited to that of a "backup" pilot ready to take over the aircraft in the event of a problem.

An autonomous mission

However, nearly the entire flight mission was carried out completely autonomously by the aircraft, without the help of the pilot, thanks to the use of the "Centaur" software.

Ultra-fast learning

Stephanie Lingemann, director of the aviation division of the German start-up Helsing, which specializes in the application of AI in the military sector, said that in 72 hours, the unmanned aircraft acquired experience equivalent to one million flight hours.

All thanks to AI

For a top-level fighter pilot, "you can expect to accumulate 5,000 flight hours over the course of your career," Lingemann explained, per ‘01.Net’. Performances that were unimaginable in the past have become possible thanks to AI.

Superhuman performance

"What we are developing is superhuman performance, capable of reacting to new situations faster than any pilot," Lingemann continued.

Not replacing pilots but assisting them

At this stage, the objective of this system is not to replace humans but to assist them in certain tasks, such as tactical navigation, threat detection, and high-speed dodging.

Europe joining forces

The German start-up has joined forces with major groups such as France's Renault, Germany's Rheinmetall, and Sweden's Saab (the manufacturer of the Gripen E) to establish itself as a key player in the European defence industry.

In the face of Russian threats

Its stated objective is to strengthen NATO's eastern flank, currently under serious threat from Russia, by equipping European armies with high-tech systems. Helsing already equips the radars of Swedish Gripen and German Eurofighters.

Deployment in a few years

While its unmanned aircraft are still in the testing stage, Helsing estimates that it will still be a few years before it can deploy its autonomous aviation systems, but it could be as soon as 2030, ‘Reuters’ reports.

A complex process

The transition from human to machine control will be a long process for the Munich-based company.

A gradual transition

"First, the automatic system will only take control of specific operations, such as threat detection and maneuvers deemed complex," the French economic news outlet ‘Capital’ reported. This will also improve pilot capabilities.

Human vs. AI

In the US, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the agency responsible for military innovation, recently simulated a fight between an F-16 piloted by AI and one under human control. And the algorithm managed to hold its own against the opposing pilot, or even outperform him, ‘Géo’ reported.

A paradigm shift

The transition to unmanned aviation represents a real paradigm shift for air forces, which will have autonomous armed sensors capable of coordinating their actions on the algorithmic battlefield of tomorrow, experts say.