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Saab has announced Nimbrix, its first dedicated counter-unmanned aerial system missile designed to defeat UAS swarms.
The Swedish aerospace and defence company’s fire-and-forget missile has been developed to counter the increasing threat from small drones on the battlefield.
The missile is designed to deliver a low-cost, hard-kill warhead with a range up to five kilometres with an active seeker to track its target. It will also reportedly engage and defeat UAS swarms using an air-burst mode.
“Nimbrix is our answer to the unmanned aerial threats which have escalated in the last few years. It is cost-effective which is critical given the proliferation of UASs on the battlefield,” said Stefan Öberg, head of Saab’s business unit missile systems.
“Nimbrix benefits from our long experience of air defence, together with an agile way of responding to new needs.”
The missile operates as a ground-based system, can be mounted on various vehicles or in fixed configurations, and can be operated independently or as part of a larger air defence system.
The company has announced intentions for the first Nimbrix deliveries in 2026.
Counter-UAS systems research and sales is gaining momentum with the US Army recently announcing its first drone-on-drone strike.
The US 173rd Airborne Brigade reportedly achieved the feat, achieved at an Unmanned Aerial Systems and Launched Effects Summit in Alabama last month, by destroying an aircraft in flight using a first-person view drone carrying an explosive charge.
The live-fire event was led by the brigade’s bayonet innovation team in partnership with the Pennsylvania Army National Guard and engineers from Army Combat Capabilities Development Command.
“We must safely conduct training, testing and experimentation,” US Army 1st Lt. Francesco La Torre said.
“We also must make sure everything we do is exportable to other units so they can do the same.
“I’m confident what we’ve done is scalable, and the lethal UAS course at Fort Rucker will centralise the growth of lethal UAS engagements while also serving as a hub for subject matter experts to gather and exchange lessons learned.”
