“Pushing the limits of technology.”

Stefan Wilson, executive chairman, on what makes Avioniq stand out from the crowd, the company’s attitude towards innovation and why AI-driven Decision Support Systems is revolutionizing military aviation.

Sitting face-to-face with Stefan Wilson, cofounder and executive chairman of Avioniq, means looking into a pair of eyes that’s seen pretty much everything when it comes to military aviation. During a 30-year career at the sharp end of the Swedish Air Force, Wilson served as Squadron Commander and Wing Commander Flying, and was an instructor on every system he ever flew. He was Commander of the Swedish unit during Operation Unified Protector (Libya 2011), has been commander of the Swedish Expeditionary Air Wing and has also participated in several Red Flag’s, the huge military exercise in Las Vegas where NATO countries test each other’s strengths every year.

With Wilson’s flying days (almost) over, we turn our attention to his role at Avioniq, and why he thinks the company stands out from the crowd.

What makes you different compared to other software firms in the military air arena?

“We have a small but very dynamic team, with extremely talented people. The core of the company consists of former elite Fighter Pilots, that can leverage almost 100 years of combined Air Force experience on our product development. It means, we don’t need to guess what specific needs or what level of expectations our customers have, we know. What is also interesting, is that the framework behind our products was conceived quite a long time ago. And as computing power caught up with the requirements of our concepts, we jumped on the bandwagon at exactly the right moment. We can say with certainty that we are at the forefront of our field, both in terms of our customers’ requirements and what is possible from a technological standpoint.”

Avioniq was founded by fighter pilots. Let’s talk about what that means in the context of product development.

“Modern technologies obviously offer a plethora of possibilities, but it’s not always clear how to use it to the best advantage. For example, over the years I have been at the universities testing lots of advanced MMI:s. Systems that surprisingly often are completely useless, just because developers have never seen a fighter aircraft from the inside. At Avioniq, our Fighter Pilot DNA, if you will, is the backbone of the company. It offers clarity through an inherent ability to prioritize. We know what is relevant to the end-user because we used to sit in that cockpit. We understand the challenges, and we know which development paths are worth following from the get-go.”

You used the term Fighter Pilot DNA, what does that mean?

“It’s about weaving together the unique collective experience and know-how that stem from our years in the Air Force, and to funnel that knowledge into innovative products, that we know are needed in the field. We’re not just designing tools because it’s possible from a technological standpoint, we drive innovation that will transform the working environment for pilots and operators in the military air arena. In the corporate context, this means we always strive to create products that will ensure that one plus one always equate into something much more than two.”

How will your products impact your customers?

“Great question. For example, suppose that the Swedish Air Force would participate in a Red Flag and they would get such good results that other NATO countries start to wonder why their air craft were shot down, or why they couldn’t shoot down The Swedish planes. I can’t imagine a better marketing campaign for Gripen than a top result there. If I sound confident, we already have the results of an FOI study (which is secret) of our main product Rattlesnaq. It showed that the system offers clear force multiplier benefits. That’s how powerful it is.”

How does that background affect your attitude towards innovation?

“First of all, innovation is not an option or a ‘nice to have’, it’s a fundamental requirement in everything we do. Fighter pilots rely on innovation for mission success and for their own survival. That’s why we push the limits of technology, every single day. Secondly, we have so many ideas for how to cater our customers future needs, and for products that don’t exist yet but should. All that creativity is born out of our experience as aviators.”

Can you be a bit more specific?

“Imagine a sales competition against other countries, where stealth is important. Gripen does not have stealth, but it could have something else that still increases the comparable combat effect. If that’s the case, our products suddenly becomes very cost-effective. Our systems also deliver properties that over time are even more desirable than stealth technology. For instance, we already know how to find stealth with today’s radar. If you can write an algorithm that expels the need for giant antennas to find stealth, then it just becomes a burden. Stealth entails higher costs, lower weapons load, more drag, etc. Our system gives no downsides to hardware performance at all.”

What’s at the top of every fighter pilot’s wish list, and what can Avioniq do to help?

“The obvious answer to the first part of the question is more powerful engines, bigger bombs and longer range. That mindset is a legacy of the post WWII era when it was all about hardware performance. However, modern technologies enable so much more smartness into the equation. From an offensive perspective, what all pilots should ask for is an intelligent support system that allows them to maximize impact with minimal risk. Something that lets you can go as close as possible to an air defense system, or an interfering ship, or an airborne radar – without the risk of being taken out. From the defensive perspective, it’s about resource optimization. Creating maximum air-power with as few aircrafts as possible. Sure enough, that’s exactly what we do here.”

Finally, what is most important for you right now, as the executive chairman of Avioniq?

“We know what needs and challenges exist in the modern fighter jet world. We can solve them intellectually, and we have the resources to develop the systems. So, the most important thing for me at this stage is actually to manage growth. This means, leading the company with both throttle and brake and build a larger and more robust organization together with our CEO. So that we are prepared for a potential rapid increase in demand for our products.”