GKN Aerospace to demonstrate new UAV for Sweden within 18 months

An artist's impression of the UAV that GKN Aerospace is to design and fly within 18 months, under a contract awarded by the Swedish FMV. (GKN Aerospace)

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk: FMV) has contracted GKN Aerospace to develop and fly a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) demonstrator within 18 months.

Announced by the UK-headquartered company on 26 November, the GBP12 million (USD16 million) award covers the design, development, and flight of a clean-sheet turbojet-powered UAV by May 2027. It is unclear from the announcement if this is an initial award, or the total for the effort.

“The programme aims to explore potential new low-cost capabilities for the Swedish Armed Forces and Air Force. It is designed to foster innovation not only in technology, but also in ways of working, emphasising agile decision making, customer inclusion, and continuous learning,” GKN Aerospace said. It added, “The UAV will be developed as a flexible platform, adaptable to a wide range of mission profiles. Final capability priorities will be defined by the end customer, ensuring the system meets evolving operational needs. The programme includes ground demonstrations of the turbojet engine, fuselage, and onboard systems tailored to specific missions, culminating in flying demonstrations to validate overall system performance.”

Programme leadership and engine development will take place in Sweden, with the airframe development in the Netherlands.

For more information on GKN Aerospace's work for Sweden, please see Sweden contracts Saab, GKN to chart next-generation fighter development .