On Friday, August 21, 2026, Swedish defense company Saab Defence and Security published a brief, 11-second video on social media partially showing what appears to be a mock-up of an unmanned combat aircraft being developed under Sweden’s KFS (Konceptprogram Framtida Stridsflygsystem) concept program, codenamed Vägval.
Photo: Saab Defence and Security
The video, which can be viewed below, was accompanied by a brief description:
“The future of air combat is not just about a single aircraft – it’s about a seamless system of systems.
We are proud to present our concept for a future Unmanned Fighter System. Building on Swedish aviation heritage, this platform is designed to operate in tandem with manned aircraft, ensuring maximum flexibility and safety in the most contested environments.
Designed for multi-domain operations and cooperation across the air, land, maritime, space, and cyber domains.”
Video: Saab Defence and Security
What can be seen in the footage above includes a fuselage featuring low observability (stealth) characteristics, twin air intakes feeding a single turbofan engine with a serrated exhaust nozzle, as well as the tactical number A3-01. The final shot indicates that this is a full-scale mock-up intended for aerodynamic testing and display at defense exhibitions rather than a technology demonstrator or prototype.
As a reminder, on October 14, 2025, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration FMV (Försvarets materielverk), under the Swedish Ministry of Defence, announced the award of a 2.676 billion SEK contract to Saab for continued work under the KFS Vägval next-generation combat aircraft concept program. The strategic partner is British multinational GKN Aerospace, alongside other industrial entities.
As reported at the time, the expanded contract with Saab covers concept studies, technology development and work on the construction of a flying technology demonstrator, which will be used to test and validate the assumed characteristics of the technologies under development. Design work under the contract is to continue through the third quarter of 2026, while demonstration activities will run through 2027 and include the first test flights. In addition to the entities mentioned above, Saab is also working directly with the Swedish Armed Forces and the Swedish Defence Research Agency (Totalförsvarets forskningsinstitut, FOI).
The baseline contract, of undisclosed value, was signed on March 22, 2024. Interestingly, on February 7 of the same year, photographs emerged of a scale model of a supersonic FCAS (Future Combat Air System) unmanned aircraft undergoing wind-tunnel testing. This is notable because both manned and unmanned configurations are being considered under the KFS Vägval concept work. However, the mock-up/model now presented differs significantly from the FCAS design tested earlier.
The KFS Vägval program is intended to provide the basis for decisions on how Sweden’s combat aircraft capability should be developed beyond 2040. The work covers research, technology development and demonstrators for both ground and flight testing.
UPDATE
It has been confirmed that the aircraft shown is a mock-up. In addition, Saab is building the A1 prototype, which features a tail assembly and is currently approximately 50% complete. Its first flight is planned by the end of 2027 from the airfield at FMV’s Vidsel test range in the Norrbotten region of northern Sweden.
🇸🇪 Saabs mockup of unmanned aircraft concept “A3”.
Saab is now building “A1”. A similar design but with fins. Gripen-size & Gripen engine. About 50% constructed.
First flight at Vidsel hopefully before end of 2027.
Corren’s coverage: https://t.co/IqQhJKtw9X
📷Annie Hogner pic.twitter.com/i34HqRxBHl
— Gripen News (@GripenNews) August 21, 2026
