As Russian drones continue to test Europe’s defenses, there is an urgency for agile, scalable counter-UAS integration and Sweden has deployed its Loke counter-drone concept to Malbork Air Base in Poland. The deployment, Sweden’s first under NATO command, comes less than a year after the system was first unveiled.
“Effective air operations require robust ground protection. The systems we deployed significantly strengthened base security, both for us and our allies,” said Lt. Col. Christian Bertilsson, commander of the Swedish contingent in Poland.
Accelerated development cycle
Loke was unveiled in February 2025 and within 84 days, it was operational.
The development saw Saab, the Swedish Air Force and the Swedish Defense Material Administration (FMV) reworked existing technology into a counter drone system that integrates the company’s Giraffe 1X mission radars for 3D air surveillance, a Trackfire remote weapon station (RWS) equipped with heavy and medium machine guns, electronic warfare tools capable of jamming drone control links and GNSS signals and a short range air defense command and control system.
The system is designed for rapid deployment, autonomous operation, and seamless integration with existing NATO C2 frameworks. The system can track both physical targets and signals in the electromagnetic spectrum, providing early detection and multiple options for neutralization.
“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. The fact that our jointly developed counter-drone systems now are operational in the field is clear proof of how effective collaboration between the Armed Forces and the defense industry can and should be,” said Angelica Persson, Counter-UAS Business Development Analyst at Saab.
This accelerated timeline reflects a broader trend in defense tech: compressing R&D cycles to meet evolving threats, especially in the drone domain where adversaries iterate faster than traditional procurement models allow.
Training for tactical integration
Sweden’s 21st Wing is now training to operate Loke as a platoon-level capability, with full wartime integration expected by year’s end. The system’s performance during Baltic Trust 2025, a multinational exercise, has informed refinements in sensor fusion, threat classification, and rules of engagement.
The deployment at Malbork, NATO’s logistics hub for military aid to Ukraine, was not merely a testbed. It was a live operational environment where Loke provided base protection against potential drone incursions.
“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," Air Force Chief Major General Jonas Wikman said in an earlier press release about the system.
Loke offers a case study in agile development, modular design, and coalition interoperability. As drone threats proliferate across theaters, from Eastern Europe to the Middle East, systems like Loke are redefining how NATO and its partners secure critical infrastructure and forward operating bases.