“10-0 in every game.”
Mats Helgesson, former Commander of the Swedish Air Force and board member at Avioniq, talks about the potential of AI in the military air arena and his contribution to the company.
Like other senior members at the leadership level of Avioniq, Mats Helgesson has a solid background as a Fighter Pilot. He flew the legendary Viggen aircraft, revered by pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike, and was one of the first pilots to fly Gripen, when the innovative fighter entered service in the mid 90s. Helgesson likes to add that he’s also been ‘a staff officer’. He referrers to the last years of his Air Force career, when he traded the G-suits for a staff officer’s uniform. First serving as a Wing Commander and later as the Head of Test and Evaluation at the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). All before finishing off his grand total of 38 years in the Swedish Armed Forces as the Air Force Commander.
From your point of view, what are the main challenges in military aviation?
“There are lots of big challenges right now. Multiple generational shifts and multiple technology shifts are happening, not just in aviation but throughout the military arena. Automation, AI, integrating space capabilities, new materials and new production methods like 3D printing. Just to name a few. There is a whole swarm of technologies that need to be operationalized.”
What makes Avioniq special in that context?
“Avioniq has one of these new and exciting technologies, and they’re very good at AI and decision support design. That’s how the company fits into this new way of waging war. What makes them unique is not AI per se, because many people do that. It’s that they make a customized, operator-optimized AI for fighter jets, and other similar combat systems. The tools are designed and actually coded by former operators. It’s a big difference, and no one else has this.”
Describe the strategic importance of AI for the aviation arena, today and in the near future?
“Merging all the data that exists, sensor data and carry-on data in the aircraft, and generating an optimal decision-making situation for the operators is very difficult. There are a lot of things to choose from, and you must find the right way to act. It takes many years just to learn the basics, one can quickly make mistakes and the margins are tiny. So, the more help you can get from a smart decision support functionality, the better you get.”
Are these AI-based products a new force to be reckoned with?
“I think so. Both the in-depth part of the decision support software, and the interface to the pilot, are unique. There are some competitors who can do one, and others that can do the other. At Avioniq, it’s all seamlessly sewn together so that it becomes ‘optimally optimized’ from the start. If you do a simulation where you have, and don’t have, this 'new force' onboard the results are as clear as day. Our AI-driven products win 10–0 in every game.”
Would you have liked to have access to these kinds of tools during your time as an Air Force pilot?
“Of course. That’s a complete no-brainer.”
In the context of the new security landscape, how do these products fit?
“These are incredibly important tools. Especially for countries who need to use relatively small resources in an optimal way. AI and decision support is all about squeezing every small percentage you can out of the available resources. If you want to keep the tactical high ground, this is the kind of equipment you need.”
What is the ultimate potential here?
“The military aviation arena is a business where you don’t get prizes for second place. The lives of the operators and their nations are at stake here. It is imperative to make the right decisions, and to do it ahead of your opponents. Second place in an aerial battle is no fun. You fall from the sky in a cloud of fire. The same goes for war as a hole, but of course on a different scale.”
Going forward, what do you see as a decisive strength in the military aviation arena?
“Honestly, AI is an important component. But there’s also other crucial elements like engine development, weapons development, low observables and base system development, command and control etc. What’s really important is to have a sustained political investment in the field of military aviation. If you drop the ball, only for a number of years, then you lose that capability pretty quick. You have to have new demonstrators and new projects, and you need to keep implementing new technologies, like this type of decision support that Avioniq have. Otherwise, the industry’s relevance dies. You can’t have engineers who just play ping pong all day. They must have real things to work on, and it has to be cutting-edge technology. One cannot live on old merits.”
Finally, what do you see as your most valuable contribution to Avioniq?
“An overall strategic perspective on the business, I think. To merge Avioniq’s vision with the Air Force vision, and make sure we connect all the dots. I also think I can help us to focus. Remember, this is still a small business. Very sharp, mind you, but if it tries to do too much at once the energy that exists becomes meager. I like the classic armored tank tactics. Attack, and where you have success, push forward. At the same time, I believe that this is a great spin-off that can become much more than just about aerial combat. Avioniq is borne out of the technology-friendly culture in the Swedish Air Force, which has given guys like Mikael the chance to develop. This is exactly what Sweden wants. So, that feels great. Especially since I know what a great group of people this is.”