Sweden’s new Loke counter-drone system went from a rapid 84-day development sprint to its first NATO deployment, where it defended critical facilities in Poland.
Born from a collaboration between the Swedish Defense Material Administration (FMV), the Swedish Air Force, and Swedish defense giant Saab, the system was stationed at Malbork Air Base to protect a logistics hub supporting aid to Ukraine.
The mission ran from April to September, with Loke operating alongside Swedish Air Force units from the 17th and 21st wings.
“Effective air operations require robust ground protection. The systems we deployed significantly strengthened base security, both for us and our allies,” stated Lieutenant Colonel Christian Bertilsson, Sweden’s contingent commander in Poland.
Air Force Integration
Although unveiled only this year, the Loke system is already in platoon-level training with the Swedish Air Force’s 21st wing.
Feedback from the integration will reportedly inform design tweaks and set the baseline for future iterations.
“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,” said Swedish Air Force Chief Major General Jonas Wikman.
Full rollout across service units is planned by the end of this year.
An 84-Day Sprint
Loke’s roots trace back to an 84-day development sprint, during which Saab, FMV, and the air force reworked existing tech into a counter-drone system.
The result combined the company’s own Giraffe 1X mission radars, a Trackfire remote weapon station, electronic warfare tools, and a short range air defense command-and-control system.
The design is modular and scalable, allowing new sensors and weapons to be plugged in as threats evolve.
“To counter emerging threats, an optimized sensor-to-shooter chain is crucial. We achieved what many thought impossible in record time, including the necessary education and training to support the mission,” said Saab’s Counter-UAS Business Development Analyst Angelica Persson.
