Swedish defense giant Saab has confirmed it is leading the development of Sweden’s first indigenous stealth unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV), which will serve as a potential successor or complement to the JAS 39 Gripen. The project marks a significant leap in Sweden’s airpower ambitions and aligns with broader European efforts to develop sixth-generation air combat capabilities.
Flygsystem 2025: Sweden’s Next-Gen Airpower Initiative
The new unmanned platform is being developed under the Swedish Armed Forces’ “Flygsystem 2025” program—a long-term strategic initiative aimed at shaping the future of Swedish air combat capabilities beyond the current Gripen fleet. While details remain classified, Saab confirmed in October 2025 that it has been contracted by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) to lead concept development and technology maturation for a stealthy UCAV platform.
Flygsystem 2025 envisions a modular and scalable system-of-systems approach that includes both manned and unmanned platforms operating in a networked battlespace. The new UCAV is expected to feature low-observable design characteristics, advanced electronic warfare capabilities, and AI-enabled mission autonomy. It will be capable of performing deep strike missions, electronic attack (EA), ISR roles, and potentially act as a loyal wingman alongside manned fighters like the Gripen E/F.
Design Goals: Stealth, Autonomy, and Multi-Mission Flexibility
While Saab has not released renderings or specifications of the new platform yet, statements from company officials suggest that the UCAV will prioritize radar cross-section (RCS) reduction through internal weapons bays, blended wing-body shaping, and composite materials. The aircraft will likely incorporate sensor fusion technologies derived from the Gripen E/F program and integrate seamlessly with existing C4ISR networks via datalinks such as Link-16 or TDLs tailored for NATO interoperability.
The platform is expected to be powered by an advanced turbofan engine optimized for subsonic endurance rather than supersonic dash speed—consistent with most current-generation stealth drones such as Northrop Grumman’s X-47B or Russia’s S-70 Okhotnik-B. Saab has also emphasized onboard AI decision-making for autonomous target recognition and mission execution under human-on-the-loop control paradigms.
Industrial Mobilization and Strategic Partnerships
The development effort is backed by FMV funding under Sweden’s increased defense budget following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Saab has reportedly begun recruiting specialized engineers in artificial intelligence, low-observable materials science, aerodynamics modeling, and mission systems integration. The company may also leverage experience from its participation in past European UAV initiatives such as nEUROn—a European demonstrator UCAV led by Dassault Aviation in which Saab was a key partner.
While this new effort is distinct from nEUROn—which first flew in 2012—the lessons learned from that program are expected to inform design philosophies around RCS management and autonomous flight control systems. There are also indications that Saab may seek collaboration with other Nordic or EU partners under frameworks like PESCO (Permanent Structured Cooperation) or EDF (European Defence Fund), especially if Flygsystem 2025 evolves into a broader pan-European capability.
Operational Role: From Loyal Wingman to Standalone Strike Asset
The upcoming Swedish UCAV is envisioned as both an independent strike asset capable of penetrating contested airspace and as part of manned-unmanned teaming (MUM-T) configurations with Gripen fighters or future manned platforms. This dual-role flexibility aligns with global trends seen in programs like Australia’s MQ-28 Ghost Bat (formerly Loyal Wingman), Boeing MQ-25 Stingray tanker drone for carrier ops support, or Airbus’ Future Combat Air System (FCAS) remote carriers concept.
- Strike Missions: Precision-guided munitions delivery against high-value targets deep within enemy territory
- Electronic Warfare: Jamming enemy radars/sensors using onboard EW suites
- ISR: Persistent surveillance using EO/IR sensors and SAR payloads
- MUM-T: Acting as decoys/scouts/force multipliers alongside piloted aircraft
- Swarms: Potential future capability for coordinated multi-drone operations using swarm logic
Toward a Sixth-Generation Ecosystem?
This initiative places Sweden among a growing cohort of nations pursuing sixth-generation air combat ecosystems centered around networked autonomy rather than traditional fighter-centric doctrines. While not formally aligned with multinational sixth-gen efforts like GCAP (UK-Japan-Italy) or FCAS/SCAF (France-Germany-Spain), Flygsystem 2025 could yield technologies interoperable with NATO standards—and potentially influence Nordic regional security architectures involving Finland and Norway.
If successful, this would mark Sweden’s entry into an elite group capable of fielding indigenous stealth-capable unmanned strike assets—joining countries like the US (XQ-58A Valkyrie), China (GJ-11 Sharp Sword), Russia (S-70 Okhotnik-B), Turkey (Bayraktar Kızılelma), and South Korea (KAI’s KF-X UAS concepts).
