As the newest member of NATO and facing the unstable military menace posed by Vladimir Putin's Russia, Sweden has already begun its search for its future airpower. For a while the nation appeared eager to partner in the UK/Italian/Japanese Global Combat Air Program (GCAP), but Sweden has elected not to join.
For now, the Scandinavian state's path centers on evaluating the best way forward for Swedish airpower to make a decision in 2030. Sweden could choose the GCAP—or its Franco/German/Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS) equivalent—but it also might pursue a new fighter program independently.
Work known as the Koncept för Framtida Stridsflyg (KFS or future fighter concept) got underway in July 2023, while Saab’s informal “Building X” technology hub takes a leading role. On November 1 Saab formalized its status to become the Advanced Programs business unit led by Peter Nilsson.
Saab has undertaken KFS in close collaboration with the FMV (Sweden's defense materiel administration), the FOI (defense research agency), the Swedish armed forces, and other key industry players, such GKN Aerospace, which provides the engine for the Gripen fighter. The initial phase focuses on concept exploration contracted and funded through 2025.
In March, Saab received an order from the FMV for conceptual studies of manned and unmanned solutions. It has rapidly expanded the number of people working on KFS-related activities from 120 to 270 and coordinates more than 150 relevant research and technology projects active across the company.
Schedules call for the KFS to move into its second phase in 2026, including technology demonstrations. An imminent concept evaluation review will identify what technologies Saab should demonstrate during phase two.
A wide range of concepts remain under evaluation, and any future fighter system could be manned or unmanned. While building new technology demonstrators appear likely, new systems can operate on modified current aircraft such as the Gripen. Meanwhile, Saab would use unmanned demonstrators to fly technologies destined for a manned fighter.
The program is taking a holistic approach to a new fighter system, examining all facets of a system of systems and how they need to act and interact in a future combat scenario. Swedish experience with dispersed operations will feature prominently in any new system, and the ability to provide robust, wear-resistant low observability is another aspect.
KFS is due to conclude in 2030, at which time it should be able to fully inform a decision on which path Sweden should choose for its airpower requirements. There is strong support for a Swedish solution, but the KFS project will, in any case, ensure Sweden has strong bargaining tools if it were to join another multinational program. While there might not be much of a place for Saab in the current manned fighter programs, Nilsson foresees a second round of GCAP/FCAS activity centered on uncrewed “loyal wingmen” vehicles, for which the company would ideally be placed.
If Sweden proceeds with a national solution based on KFS technology solutions, full-scale development would begin almost immediately. Saab has virtually all of the required expertise in-house and has already demonstrated through the Gripen E its ability to rapidly develop major systems. The powerplant would account for the one area that would need external sourcing for which Saab and partners would most likely turn to companies such as Rolls-Royce, GE, or Pratt & Whitney.
In any case—and as with GCAP, FCAS, or the U.S. Next Generation Air Dominance program—Sweden’s future fighter system will almost certainly employ some form of uncrewed component.