Swedish army to get recon, strike drones in $37M deal

Sweden has placed its first order for strike drones for its armed forces, awarding a contract to Danish company Nordic Wing through the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, Militarnyi reported.

The deal is worth 350 million Swedish krona, approximately $37 million, according to the Swedish agency. Delivery to Swedish forces is planned for the second quarter of 2027.

The order covers the Astero ISR reconnaissance drone and Raptor 2 loitering munitions, which operate through shared software. The reconnaissance drone is intended to locate targets, after which one or more strike drones can engage them, according to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration.

The purchase also includes control stations built around laptops and radio equipment, operator training simulators, and field-deployable maintenance containers. The systems are intended primarily for Sweden’s ground forces, the agency said.

“This system provides new capabilities, particularly for light units, to engage targets at long range with a combat unit that has very high effectiveness,” said Lennart Widerström, head of the Swedish Army’s Combat School.

Widerström said Swedish forces are prepared to receive the new drones and will be able to quickly begin using them for defense.

“We want this capability because it’s a natural part of modern warfare,” Widerström said.

The Swedish armed forces described the purchase as a first step, with plans to acquire additional unmanned systems from multiple manufacturers going forward. The decision to order strike drones is tied to lessons from the war in Ukraine, which Swedish military officials have closely followed, according to Militarnyi.

Nordic Wing’s drones have already been supplied to Ukraine’s Defense Forces for several years, according to Militarnyi’s prior reporting.