Sweden Unleashed LOKI on Russian Drones… Total DESTRUCTION

The wars in Ukraine and now in the  Persian Gulf have shattered many of the   usual rules of engagement.

All sides in these  conflicts are making prodigious use of drones,   both on the frontlines and for long-range strikes  far behind them.

A massive arms race has ensued,   with nations around the world scrambling  to develop the most deadly, scalable,   and cost-effective attack drones with the utmost  urgency.

At the same time, an equally crucial arms   race has emerged alongside.

Counter-drone  technology.

Also known as C-UAS solutions,   counter-drone efforts run the gamut from cheap  hand-held net guns to advanced missile systems   that cost hundreds of millions of dollars.

But  now, Swedish giant Saab has come up with a unique   concept that’s been proven in action, and may  just change NATO’s entire approach to anti-drone   warfare.

The Loke.

Let’s take a closer look at  the Loke system, what makes it such an innovative   concept, and how it could change drone warfare  permanently.

Now, C-UAS has become big business.

A spate of drone incursions into European airspace  in mid- to late-2025 exposed how unprepared much   of Europe was for the kind of bombardment by  drone swarms that Ukraine – and increasingly   Russia – have been compelled to continuously fend  off.

Traditional missile-based air defense systems   like the MIM-104 Patriot and IRIS-T have proven  to be effective at taking out long-range drones   like Russia’s Shahed/Geran variants.

Effective –  but not cost-effective.

It’s simply not feasible   to use multi-million-dollar interceptor missiles  to shoot down drones that cost tens of thousands.

Especially not when the drones can be produced at  a rate of hundreds per day, while the interceptor   missiles are produced at a rate of hundreds  per year.

So, the race is on to develop C-UAS   solutions.

Between 2026 and 2030, NATO members and  close allies are expected to spend more than $210   billion on air and missile defense capabilities.

Much of that will be allocated for high-end   systems like Patriot, IRIS-T, and SAMP systems.

The need to protect against high-end threats like   Russian and Iranian cruise and ballistic  missiles is as critical as ever.

However,   billions are also pouring into air defense systems  specifically focused on drones, especially systems   that offer a workable cost-to-kill ratio and  are easy to produce in large quantities – and   quickly.

The latest Unmanned Airspace 2026 Global  Counter-UAS Systems Directory lists over 1,000   C-UAS systems from more than 550 companies that  are under development or in production around the   world.

The directory breaks the systems down into  11 different categories: systems for capturing   drones, like net guns; uncrewed ground vehicles;  detector systems; directed energy weapons systems;   electronic counter measures, or ECM; guns;  integrated systems; intercept drones; missiles;   munitions; and others, including software.

But  unlike most of the systems listed, they might have   difficulty slotting Loke into one single category  or another.

Because what makes this system special   isn’t some brand new high-tech way of bringing  down drones, or innovative use of AI.

Rather,   its beauty lies in pragmatically putting together  abundant, existing components to create a highly   effective and cost-effective system.

Saab didn’t  try to reinvent the wheel.

They didn’t have to.

Their engineers looked at existing components  sitting on their shelves – designed for entirely   different use cases – and realized they already  had everything they needed to produce the ultimate   drone-killer.

And it’s a move that has C-UAS  designers around the world going either “Hang on,
why can’t we do that?” or “Gimme.

” Now, the  fact that it’s Saab coming up with pragmatic and   innovative solutions to pressing military problems  should come as no surprise to seasoned observers   of the global military industrial complex.

They’ve  been doing it for decades, after all.

The company,   whose name is short for Svenska Aeroplan  Aktiebolaget, or Swedish Aeroplane Corporation,   was founded in 1937.

It subsequently became the  dominant defense industry company in Sweden with   a market cap in excess of $35 billion.

It’s by far  the most important company in the country in terms   of scale, technological innovation, and strategic  importance.

Over the years, Saab has consistently   delivered a smorgasbord of weapons widely in  demand around the world for their quality,   practicality, and reliability.

The most notable  of these are probably the iconic JAS 39 Gripen   fighter jet, AT4 anti-tank weapon, RBS15 Anti-Ship  missile, Double Eagle mine-clearing naval drones,   Carl-Gustaf M4 recoilless rifle, Trackfire remote  weapons station, and Giraffe radar systems.

And   the last two items on that list are now being  combined in the brand new Loke system.

Loke   was first presented in February 2025 – the fruits  of a collaboration between the Swedish Air Force,   the Swedish Defense Materiel Administration,  or FMV, Saab, and other “partners.

” It combines   existing technologies into a modular system that  can be assembled in different configurations like   Lego.

The system integrates a mobile radar –  Saab’s Giraffe 1X – with a Trackfire Remote   Weapon Station armed with heavy and medium machine  guns, along with electronic warfare components.

That means it can track both physical targets and  signals in the electromagnetic spectrum, providing   both early detection and multiple options for  neutralization.

Because of its modular design,   other attachments – such as a directed energy  weapon, for example – could conceivably be   attached with relatively little hassle in the  future.

More about those a little later.

But for   now, the known components of the system are all  widely used across NATO member states and beyond,   reducing interoperability and operator training  learning curves to a minimum.

Take the radar,   for example.

The Giraffe radar family  began development in the 1970s,   with the first systems delivered in 1977.

They  were originally developed alongside the RBS 70   surface-to-air missile.

Early Giraffe radars were  mechanical, 2D/3D pulse-Doppler systems operating   in the G/H-band, and designed to detect low-flying  aircraft in cluttered environments.

Over time,   the family evolved into advanced digital systems,  culminating in the Giraffe Agile Multi Beam,   or AMB.

The AMB is a 3D passive electronically  scanned array, or PESA, radar that has been widely   exported and used in both land and naval roles, as  the Sea Giraffe in the latter case.

But the real   leap forward came in May 2014 when Saab unveiled  the Giraffe 1X – the variant used in Loke.

Perhaps   with a nod towards the emerging field of  drone warfare, this compact, X-band Active   Electronically Scanned Array, or AESA, radar  marked a shift toward mobility, rapid deployment,   and multi-role capability.

The AESA array allows  the radar to steer its beams electronically rather   than mechanically.

That means faster scanning,  improved reliability, and the ability to track   multiple targets simultaneously.

The AESA radar  also provides three-dimensional tracking, meaning   it can determine a target’s range, bearing, and  altitude.

This is critical when dealing with   small drones or low-flying threats that can blend  into ground clutter.

In addition, advanced signal   processing enables the system to distinguish real  targets from birds, terrain, and weather effects,   improving detection accuracy in congested  environments.

The result is that the Giraffe 1X   offers 360-degree coverage with a full volume scan  every second.

It’s sensitive enough to detect low,   slow, small, or LSS, targets like drones, on top  of its counter-RAM – that’s rockets, artillery,   and mortars – sense-and-warn functionality.

The  land variant has a range of around 47 miles,   while the naval variant has a range of around 61  miles.

More recently, the Giraffe 1X Deployment   Set was added in 2023, improving transportability  and readiness.

And in 2024, the Compact Radar   Module was introduced, enabling the antenna to be  folded into the housing at the press of a button.

With a total system weight under 330 pounds,  it can be readily deployed on light vehicles,   masts, or rooftops to provide simultaneous air  and surface surveillance.

It can be operated   either remotely or locally, and offers flexible  integration with command and control, or C2,   systems.

In other words, it can be seamlessly  linked with other sensors, communication networks,   weapons platforms, and decision-making tools  to enable coordinated military operations.

With   all those features, little wonder that demand  for the Giraffe 1X has been high.

The U.

S.

,   Sweden, Latvia, and the UK are all procuring  the system, either to be used on light vehicles,   tactical units, fixed sites, or integrated into  naval platforms.

Now, it’s also the eyes and ears   of Loke.

That makes perfect sense.

The Giraffe’s  characteristics are perfectly suited to a modular,   mobile C-UAS platform like Loke.

Even better,  with healthy demand from home and abroad for the   various iterations of the Giraffe for almost half  a century, Saab’s production lines are well-oiled,   and its inventories are well-stocked.

From Saab’s  perspective, for Loke, the Giraffe is pretty much   an off-the-shelf solution.

And it’s more or less  the same story with the weapons system that fires   at the targets identified by the Giraffe.

The  Trackfire Remote Weapon Station, or RWS.

Like the   Giraffe, its choice was somewhat of a no-brainer  for Saab.

Trackfire is a remotely operated weapon   and sensor system specifically developed  by Saab for integration on naval vessels,   fixed defense positions, and land vehicles –  i.

e.

, on platforms just like Loke.

The system was   publicly launched at the DSEI 2007 expo in London  and entered service in 2012 with Finland’s Navy,   its first major deployment.

That was followed by a  2017 contract with the aforementioned FMV that saw   the Trackfire integrated domestically onto Combat  Boat 90s and other naval platforms.

And at least   26 of those boats ended up in Ukraine.

Since 2022,  Sweden has sent Ukraine 21 packages of direct   military aid, worth a whopping $11.

3 billion.

Included were donations of advanced weapons   systems like Archer artillery, Stridsvagn 122  tanks, air defense systems, and CB90 boats with   Trackfire RWS.

Ten CB90s were delivered to Ukraine  in February 2024 and a further 16 in January 2025.

As it turns out, those Trackfire integrations  were some of the last of the old configuration   of the system.

The new configuration – no doubt  heavily influenced by Ukraine’s experiences during   the war – was about to be unveiled.

The Trackfire  ARES was also unveiled at DSEI, albeit at the 2025   edition.

It’s specifically designed for C-UAS  operations, and is the perfect fit for Loke.

Optimized for high precision and crew protection  while firing on the move, it supports 360-degree   azimuth rotation with elevation from -20 degrees  to +55 degrees.

Now, those aren’t particularly   impressive specs compared to rival RWS systems,  which typically also have 360-degree azimuth.

The   naval variants of the Kongsberg Protector RWS  and Korean Hanwha Defense Naval RWS have the   same depression of -20 degrees, but a slightly  higher elevation of +60 degrees.

Rheinmetall RMG   30 RWS variants typically offer -15 degree to  +60 degree elevation.

And the Turkish Aselsan   STAMP Naval RWS beats all of them with a -15  degree to +55 degree spread.

That’s the kind of   information you find on any old military-focused  channel on YouTube.

Here at the Military Show,   we dig beneath the headlines to bring you the real  story.

Make sure you subscribe to the channel so   you never miss out.

So, the Trackfire might be  at a slight disadvantage compared to some of its   rivals.

But what it lacks in amplitude it more  than makes up for in precision.

It features true   Stabilized Independent Line of Sight, or SILOS  for short.

That means the independently stabilized   sensor module is decoupled from the weapon’s axes  and thus isolated from weapon recoil effects.

That   enables the operator to maintain an uninterrupted  line of sight on the target, greatly reducing   target acquisition times in the process.

The  Trackfire ARES’s unique configuration also enables   a target to be continuously lased during the  engagement sequence, providing a highly accurate   and comprehensive ballistic calculation, including  3D target prediction.

But the real value is   perhaps this: it’s a modular system, designed to  be configurable, interoperable, and implementable   on an expanding set of platforms.

There are two  main units, onto which others can be plugged.

The   first is a Director Unit, or DU, which houses the  Sensor Module, or SM.

The DU connects to the Human   Machine Interface, or HMI, which includes  the Gunners Display, Fire Control Panel,   Control Handle, and Video Tracker.

What that means  in practical terms is that the crew has a powerful   visual representation of the environment and its  targets at its fingertips.

Operators can literally   identify threats, select the appropriate response,  and fire without having to break visual contact   with their screens.

A dual command facilitates  shared capabilities, leading to even shorter   response times and reduced sensor-to-shooter  cycles.

Plus, the system is set up for integration   into other platform systems, meaning target  and image data can be transmitted both within   the platform and to and from others.

As for the  firepower it can deliver, “flexibility” is the   Trackfire’s middle name.

A wide range of weapon  effectors can be mounted, often in combination   with one another.

The ARES variant comes standard  with the 30×113 mm M230LF Bushmaster chain gun.

But it can also handle the Browning M2 HMG 12.

7mm  heavy machine gun, FN MAG 58 7.

62mm general   purpose machine gun, Mk19 40x53mm, and H&K GMG  40x53mm grenade launchers, and lighter missiles.

You can also mount complementary solutions such as  non-lethal effectors and jammers.

In Loke’s case,   the suite includes a Browning M2, an FN MAG  58, and electronic warfare components for   jamming.

However, any of the other weapons we just  mentioned, along with smoke launchers, dazzlers,   spotlights, loudspeakers, and even lightweight  cannons, can also be mounted onto it, as required.

But even the basic package gives you something  most other C-UAS systems don’t – two different   detection and engagement options: physical and  electromagnetic spectrum tracking.

This gives you   multiple options for neutralization in addition  to early detection.

And that goes a long way   to solving the elephant in the room problem for  NATO.

Cost-appropriate responses against small,   low-cost drones.

Now, it’s not just the cost  of the materials that factor into the equation   when developing C-UAS solutions.

The time it  takes to go from idea to active in the field   is just as huge a concern.

The longer it takes,  the more costly the end product is likely to be.

In this regard, Loke must have broken some kind  of NATO record.

It took just 84 days to get from   evaluation to delivery – an eye-wateringly small  amount of time compared to most weapons systems.

Loke was actually conceived as a kind of  “speed run” experiment to see how quickly   the Swedes could evaluate and deliver a new  C-UAS system.

And the experiment definitely   seems to have worked.

What began as a defense  industry demonstration turned into an intense   three-month sprint to deliver a mobile, adaptable  system to the Swedish Air Force’s combat units.

Evaluation began in January 2025, and less than  three months later, working units were delivered,   ready for testing in the field.

That is genuinely  quite a feat of modern military engineering.

So how did they do it? According to Carl-Johan  Bergholm, Senior Vice President and Head of Saab’s   “Surveillance “business area: “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.

” Having a stack of world-class components   on the shelf ready to be integrated into the new  system no doubt helped significantly.

Of course,   it’s one thing to deliver a prototype.

It still  has to prove itself on the battlefield.

And in   Loke’s case, it already has.

In September 2025,  Saab confirmed that Loke had been deployed for   the past six months in Poland.

It had been used  at Malbork Air Base, where Swedish forces from   the 21st Wing and later the 17th Wing had been  on NATO assignment.

Their task was primarily   securing allied facilities, including a logistics  hub central to the transfer of military aid to   Ukraine.

So, how did it perform? The official  word is, well, pragmatic and understated as you   might expect from a Swedish officer.

“Effective  air operations require robust ground protection.

The systems we deployed significantly strengthened  base security, both for us and our allies,” said   Lieutenant Colonel Christian Bertilsson, commander  of the Swedish contingent in Poland.

Photos of the   system give us a bit more detail.

Markings on  the system indicate successful interceptions of   36 quadcopter-type drones and 17 fixed-wing UAVs  during the radar tests.

The photos also reveal   the MacGyver-like construction of the system.

The  radar was simply mounted on a pallet and secured   with elastic tie-downs.

The power supply  was also arranged simply and practically,   with wires routed through an extension cord,  likely connected to a generator.

Next to the   radar is a red container equipped with antennas,  clearly the jamming box.

It hasn’t been painted,   likely reflecting the project’s emphasis on speed  rather than refinement.

Now, on the one hand,   that focus might present some issues for Saab as  it markets the Loke around the world.

The system   is now being trained at the platoon level by the  Swedish 21st Wing, with full integration into   combat units planned by the end of 2025.

But NATO  integration requires a stricter set of standards,   such as regulatory wiring practices.

By the looks  of these early models, some elements will likely   need to be tidied up before they can be more  widely deployed.

But on the other hand, the   collaborative spirit and agile approach employed  in developing Loke could serve as a blueprint for   future projects, or even a shift in NATO doctrine.

As Swedish Air Force Chief Major General Jonas   Wikman puts it, “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.

”   We don’t know how much it costs, but Loke is  scalable and adaptable to evolving threats,   since it can be further enhanced with additional  sensors and weapon stations as required.

It can   even operate during redeployment, providing  continuous protection while on the move.

It   slots effortlessly into layered air defenses  and is designed for expanding integrations   and interoperability with other systems.

How  many other systems can NATO say that about?   Those features could be a critical factor in the  years ahead.

The humble Iranian Shahed drone has   changed warfare to the extent that even the  U.S.

was compelled to reverse-engineer it to   quickly create an analog of its own.

Nothing  can match the power of high-end systems like   the Patriot and THAAD to detect and destroy  inbound aerial arrivals.

But Ukraine alone   could swallow an entire year’s production of  PAC-3 missiles in a matter of months – if it   could get its hands on them.

Maybe the face of  warfare is changing so fast that the age-old,   lengthy but lucrative defense production cycle  just isn’t sustainable anymore.

It’s too expensive   and way too slow.

In this new paradigm, it’s  agile, creative, adaptable, and easily scalable   solutions like Loke that are likely to be the  winners.

We’ll, of course, keep you updated   on developments.

Barely a week goes by without  some exciting new development in C-UAS, after   all.

Check out this video about the UK’s new C-UAS  system – the Dragonfire.

And thanks for watching.