The Swedish Air Force, in collaboration with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), Saab, and industry partners, has successfully developed and tested the “Loke” counter-drone system in just 84 days.
The rapid proliferation of drones has transformed modern warfare, creating an urgent need for effective and cost-efficient countermeasures. Traditional air defense systems, designed for larger aircraft and missiles, struggle to neutralize small, low-flying, and often autonomous drones. Commercial drone technology has presented military forces with a cost-benefit paradox—while drones are inexpensive, the weapons used to eliminate them are often costly, making current counter-drone efforts economically unsustainable.
Recognizing this gap, Sweden launched an intensive development sprint to create a modular and mobile C-UAS system. Initially a defense industry demonstration, the “Loke” project evolved into a full-scale effort to provide the Swedish Air Force with a deployable solution in record time. The system covers the entire counter-drone kill chain, integrating world-class radars, advanced command and control systems, and effectors for neutralizing threats.
At the core of “Loke” is the Giraffe 1X radar, a battle-proven system capable of detecting and classifying drones. The system employs a lightweight command and control (C2) structure based on Short-Range Air Defense (SHORAD) concepts. For neutralization, it incorporates the Trackfire remote weapon station, widely used on naval platforms such as the Combat Boat 90. This combination provides a flexible, high-performance defense solution against evolving drone threats.
“Since this wasn’t a typical product development cycle spanning several years, we had to think outside the box and take an innovative approach to overcome this challenge. By cleverly repurposing existing products and integrating new features and technologies, we brought the concept together at record speed,” said Carl-Johan Bergholm, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s Surveillance division.
The project has been spearheaded by Sweden’s Air Warfare School (Luftstridsskolan), Command and Control Warfare School (Ledningsstridsskolan), and the Air Force Staff (Flygstaben), with additional support from the Ground Warfare School (Markstridsskolan). Personnel from Norrbotten Air Wing (F 21) were involved to ensure the system meets the operational needs of frontline units.
Air Force Chief Major General Jonas Wikman emphasized the importance of rapid innovation in military development. “This is a clear example of how we are building the capabilities required and that we are prepared to deviate from normal processes to meet today’s threats quickly. We need to constantly evolve and find fast and competent solutions to build a stronger Air Force.”
The Loke system is designed to be scalable and adaptable, allowing for the integration of additional sensors and effectors as threats evolve. It is also capable of providing protection even while in transit, ensuring continuous coverage during redeployment. Full integration into Swedish Air Force combat units is planned for late 2025, where it will play a critical role in protecting national airspace from drone threats.