GKN Aerospace has been awarded a £12 million (US$16 million) contract by the Swedish Government to develop a jet-engined drone.
The program with the Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) will develop and demonstrate a low-cost, flying uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) capability within 18 months for the Swedish Armed Forces and Air Force.
According to the FMV, the program also aims to foster innovation in ways of working, such as agile decision-making, customer inclusion, and continuous learning.
Final capability priorities are yet to be defined by the FMV and the drone will be developed as a flexible platform, adaptable to a range of mission profiles.
The program includes ground demonstrations of the turbojet engine, fuselage, and onboard systems tailored to specific missions, culminating in flying demonstrations to validate overall system performance.
Program leadership and engine development for the drone program will take place in Sweden, with the airframe developed in the Netherlands. The program will also leverage GKN’s in-house structures and propulsion technology capabilities from Sweden, the Netherlands and the UK.
Stefan Oscarsson, senior vice president governmental solutions at GKN Aerospace said, “This program is a great example of how we can work closely with the FMV to rapidly explore new capabilities that are both innovative and cost-effective.
“It reflects our shared commitment to strengthening Sweden’s defence readiness and technological edge and builds on decades of trusted collaboration.”
