Sweden Orders Strike Drones for Its Army for the First Time — Contract Awarded to Nordic Wing

Sweden has ordered strike drones for its armed forces for the first time. The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration has awarded a contract to Danish company Nordic Wing to supply the systems.

The report comes from SVT Nyheter.

The procurement is worth 350 million Swedish kronor ($37 million). The drones are scheduled to be delivered to the Swedish military in the second quarter of 2027.

The systems consist of the Astero ISR drone and Raptor 2 strike drones. They operate through shared software.

The reconnaissance drone is intended to detect targets, after which one or more strike drones can engage them.

The drones were purchased along with several control stations consisting of laptops and radio equipment. The order also includes simulators for operator training and specialized workshop containers for field maintenance.

According to the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration, the systems are primarily intended for the Army.

“This system provides new capabilities, particularly for light units, to engage targets at long distances and combat units that have very high effectiveness,” said Lennart Widerström, head of the Land Warfare School in Skövde.

He said Swedish troops are ready to receive the new drones and will be able to quickly begin using them for defense.
“We want this capability because it is a natural part of modern warfare,” Widerström said.

The Swedish Armed Forces say the procurement is only a first step. The country plans to procure unmanned systems from several different manufacturers in the future. The decision to order strike drones is also linked to lessons from the war in Ukraine, which the Swedish military is closely monitoring.

Drones made by Danish company Nordic Wing have been supplied to Ukraine’s Defense Forces for several years.