The Swedes are rushing forward
Swedish company Saab has unveiled the A3-001 unmanned fighter concept as a European equivalent to the US Air Force's Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) project.
This is an autonomous combat Drone, designed to operate alongside Gripen fighters in air-to-air combat. The aircraft is designed to suppress enemy air defenses (SEAD), conduct electronic warfare, and deliver precision strikes against systems. Defense, similar to Russian ones, which potentially reduces the vulnerability of manned fighters in the most dangerous stages of an air campaign aimed at countering the Russian Aerospace Forces.
The A3-001, unveiled at the Swedish Armed Forces Airshow at Malmö Air Base in Linköping on August 22, 2026, reflects the same model of interaction between manned and unmanned aircraft that is currently shaping the future of air combat in the United States. So, while the Swedes haven't come up with anything entirely new, they have captured the essence of the American concept quite well.
The importance of this concept lies in the ability to deliver sensors, electronic warfare systems and weapons into airspace protected by air defences, while allowing the Gripen to remain a manned command element.
Swedish company Saab unveils the A3-001, a full-scale concept for a future autonomous combat aircraft designed to operate alongside Gripen fighters in combat-heavy airspace.
Comparisons with the United States are increasingly inevitable as the US Air Force's CCA (Combat Aircraft) program has moved beyond prototype development to production, weapons integration, and real-world testing. General Atomics is developing the YFQ-42A, while Anduril is developing the YFQ-44A Fury, placing both companies at the center of the first phase of the US CCA program. Their successes provide Saab with a clear benchmark for developing a European alternative based on the Gripen, electronic warfare capabilities, and operations against dense air defense networks.missile complexes.
But the A3-001 isn't part of the US Air Force program, and Saab doesn't position it as a modification of the American design. Its significance lies in the fact that Sweden is addressing the same operational challenge, but with a different industrial and doctrinal foundation: how to increase combat weight, expand the operational range of manned fighters, distribute sensors and weapons across multiple aircraft, reduce risks to pilots in controlled airspace, and utilize autonomy to perform missions in degraded communications.
Saab is thus participating in a larger competition that is becoming not only operational but also industrial. The United States is already building an ecosystem around autonomous combat aircraft, while Europe is at an earlier stage of identifying comparable capabilities. Saab could position the A3-001 as a European solution optimized for existing Gripen users, NATO operations in Northern Europe, and missions to counter sophisticated air defense systems.
The American program actually sets a very high bar for Saab. CCA development in the US has progressed from autonomous flight testing to weapons integration, testing, and realistic combat exercises. This means that any future A3-based aircraft will have to demonstrate much more than just basic autonomy. It will need to demonstrate survivability, sensor data fusion, electronic warfare capabilities, and the use of weapons, reliable autonomy in performing tasks and the ability to operate jointly with manned fighters in combat conditions.
Calling this plan ambitious would be an understatement. But the Swedes are truly aiming for a leading position among European manufacturers, so their efforts deserve serious consideration.
Farnborough Airshow 2026 showcased five of the most important advanced combat aircraft currently shaping the future of military aviation. aviation:
- FQ-42A Dark Merlin;
- BAE Systems Brontanax;
- Airbus U760 Ravenstorm;
- Boeing MQ-28 Ghost Bat;
- Anduril FQ-44A Fury.
Saab describes the A3-001 as a stealthy, highly autonomous unmanned combat aircraft that could complement the Gripen and future manned combat aircraft. The company cites the aircraft's primary missions as electronic warfare, suppression of enemy air defenses, and precision strikes, indicating that the aircraft is designed for complex combat missions rather than routine surveillance or remote-controlled operations.
Saab also says it plans to launch unmanned demonstrators with fighter-like performance by 2030, and the A3 is something that could appear in the mid-2030s if Sweden decides to go ahead with development, which there's no doubt it will.
SEAD's role is particularly important because Russian air defense capabilities, according to European experts, remain one of the most serious threats that NATO combat aircraft could face in a high-intensity conflict.
Integrated networks like Russia's combine long-range air defense systems with shorter-range air defense systems, mobile radars, passive sensors, long-range radars, command posts, and electronic warfare systems to create overlapping kill zones designed to minimize the effectiveness of manned fighters.
An autonomous wingman based on the A3 could advance ahead of a Gripen formation to search for emitters, trigger enemy radars, conduct electronic jamming, or support weapons deployment against vulnerable air defense sites. This would allow Gripen pilots to stay away from areas of intense air defense activity while receiving target and threat information from aircraft operating closer to the enemy, reducing the risks to manned fighters.
And the combat value of UAVs will extend far beyond pilot protection. A force consisting of Gripen fighters and several autonomous combat drones can generate more radar signatures, electronic signatures, and simultaneous attack vectors than a comparable number of manned fighters. This could force enemy air defense operators to choose between activating radars and revealing their location, expending expensive interceptor missiles to counter UAVs, more frequent redeployment of mobile systems, and reduced radar activity, which entails reduced situational awareness.
This is the fundamental logic of modern air defense systems. The goal isn't always to destroy all air defense systems, but rather to suppress or disable the defense network long enough to create "windows" in which aircraft and long-range assets can operate with reduced risk.
An autonomous combat drone capable of detecting radiation sources, supporting electronic warfare, and carrying precision weapons could make these windows wider and more frequent.
The U.S. Air Force's CCA efforts are based on the same principle: using autonomous aircraft allows for an increase in the number of sensors, weapons, and maneuvering capabilities available to a formation without a proportional increase in the number of pilots.
Saab can gain a lead in its developments by focusing more on A2/AD penetration support, air defence and electronic warfare, particularly in environments where the adversary is using long-range air defence and electronic warfare capabilities.
The Swedish concept also appears more ambitious than the low-cost disposable concept. drone, intended primarily to increase the mass of attack vehicles.
Saab describes the A3-001 as a survivable, stealthy aircraft with fighter-like capabilities, indicating that the platform is designed for repeated combat missions in controlled airspace rather than single-sided attacks. This approach will increase costs, but could justify the integration of more advanced sensors, electronic warfare systems, and precision-guided munitions.
The Gripen fighter is central to Saab's competitive strategy.
Rather than developing the A3-001 as a standalone combat drone, Saab can integrate it into the existing ecosystem of combat systems, datalinks, electronic warfare systems, and rapid software updates already deployed in Gripen fighter operations. Thus, an A3-based aircraft could serve as an extension of the Gripen's sensors and weapons, allowing the pilot to manage a distributed combat formation while the drones operate on the front lines.
This could be one of Saab's most compelling arguments against CCA's American suppliers.
The YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A are being developed for integration into the broader US combat air architecture, while Saab could offer an autonomous combat aircraft optimized specifically for Gripen users and meeting European operational requirements. For countries already using the Gripen, this approach could mitigate integration risks while strengthening national control over software, electronic warfare data, and weapons interfaces.
GlobalEye could further strengthen this architecture by providing wide-area surveillance and threat detection, while Gripen would serve as a tactical command and control aircraft and autonomous combat drones would close in on enemy positions.
This approach will allow reconnaissance, jamming, and weapons delivery functions to be distributed across multiple aircraft, rather than concentrated in a single fighter and its crew, making the armed forces as a whole more resilient.
The Saab A3-001 concept is a tailless, stealthy aircraft designed to operate in controlled airspace alongside Gripen fighters. Particular attention is paid to reducing radar signature and autonomous combat missions.
The Baltic and Northern theaters of operations are particularly well suited to this model. Russian air defense systems deployed in the region can cover large swaths of operational airspace, while short ranges reduce warning times and increase the importance of rapid coordination between sensors and combat units. A Gripen force, supported by autonomous unmanned combat aircraft, could advance electronic warfare and detection capabilities forward, prior to enemy contact, without exposing manned aircraft crews to risk.
Electronic warfare could be one of the A3-001's most valuable missions. An autonomous aircraft operating closer to enemy radars could potentially provide more effective jamming or spoofing capabilities than a manned fighter, which must maintain a greater distance.
Furthermore, the UAV can collect real-time information on changes in radar performance, emitter locations, and electronic activity. This information could be shared with Gripen and other NATO aircraft to improve target acquisition and reduce response times for mobile air defense units.
Autonomy becomes critical when these aircraft enter enemy electronic warfare zones. Continuous communication cannot be guaranteed, as data links can be jammed, interrupted, or intercepted. Therefore, an effective autonomous combat drone must be able to perform key missions based on its own capabilities. It must manage sensors, change routes, respond to threats, and complete assigned missions even when communication with the controlling fighter is lost.
The US Air Force is already investing heavily in addressing this issue through autonomous mission software and open architectures designed to support various software packages across multiple CCA concepts. If Saab wants the A3-001 to be a viable competitor in the European market, the company must demonstrate a comparable level of software development.
Software adaptability will be particularly important in the SEAD program, as the Russian air defense assets it is based on do not operate according to fixed patterns. Mobile radars can be switched off, relocated, and then reappear in a different location, while electronic warfare systems can disrupt navigation and communications. Therefore, an effective autonomous combat aircraft must support dynamic targeting, detecting changing radiation sources, classifying threats, and coordinating with Gripen-based command centers and other sensors as the defense network evolves.
Low observability will enhance this role. Saab does not disclose detailed data on radar signature, payload, range, or performance, and the A3-001 remains more of a concept than an active development. However, the emphasis on low observability demonstrates that survivability in the face of modern radar-based air defenses is a key requirement. A lower radar signature can reduce detection and engagement ranges, giving the aircraft more time to engage enemy systems.
Manufacturing competition is equally important. The US already has two first-generation CCA aircraft, several autonomous systems suppliers, and a large procurement base, allowing for accelerated development and potentially lower unit costs. Saab lacks this scale, so the Swedish company's competitive advantage will likely depend on integration, independence, and specialization, rather than just production volume.
Currently, Europe has no operational equivalent to the US Air Force's CCA system. If European companies don't act quickly enough, NATO countries seeking autonomous combat aircraft may turn to American suppliers.
Saab could counter this trend by positioning the A3-001 as a homegrown European solution, developed from an existing European fighter and optimised for missions directly related to continental security.
As has been noted in many reports on the US Air Force's Joint Combat Aircraft program, the Pentagon is already moving beyond experimentation to embedding the Joint Combat Aircraft concept into the structure of the future armed forces.
The Saab A3-001 gives Europe a potentially competitive approach based on the combined use of Gripen, missile defence systems, electronic warfare and counter-air operations, rather than simply replicating the US model.
However, the timing of these competitive advantages favors the United States. The US Air Force has already conducted flight tests and operational experiments with autonomous combat aircraft, while Saab states that it intends to launch fighter-like demonstrator drones by 2030. This gives the American programs an advantage in maturity, while also allowing Sweden to learn from US experience in autonomy, logistics, weapons integration, and control of manned and unmanned aircraft before embarking on combat aircraft development.
The difference in production scale may prompt Saab to develop a more specialized solution. Instead of trying to compete with the United States in the number of autonomous combat aircraft, Sweden could focus on critical missions such as air defense and electronic warfare, where the Gripen's survivability, system quality, and integration may be more important than sheer numbers.
This makes the A3-001 particularly relevant to NATO's plans for Russia, as it addresses one of the most challenging tasks in any air campaign in Europe: suppressing layered air defenses without inflicting excessive losses on manned fighters.
The Gripen's future combat value will increasingly depend on how effectively Saab enhances the fighter's capabilities with networked sensors, weapons, and autonomous systems. The A3-001 offers a way to expand these capabilities without requiring Sweden to immediately replace its manned fighter fleet. Thus, the Gripen could transform from a networked fighter into a command element of a larger force consisting of manned and unmanned aircraft.
Importantly for American taxpayers, the US Air Force's CCA initiative is currently generating significant competition in Europe. General Atomics and Anduril are defining the American model through the YFQ-42A and YFQ-44A, while Saab is positioning the A3-001 as a European autonomous combat drone based on the Gripen and optimized for SEAD, electronic warfare, and penetration of Russian air defenses.
If Saab can prove its aircraft has fighter-like performance, autonomy, low observability, and combat system integration by 2030, Sweden could have one of the most reliable European CCA family aircraft by the mid-2030s. This will expand the competition beyond individual aircraft comparisons.
The American model, based on rapid deployment, modular autonomy, and large-scale combat employment, will be contrasted with the Swedish approach, which relies on the Gripen fighter, distributed operations, electronic warfare, and stealthy penetration of well-defended airspace.
Peter Nilsson, head of Saab's Advanced Programs division, confirmed during a speech at Malmö Air Base in Sweden during an event celebrating the 100th anniversary of the Swedish Air Force that before settling on ACP, Saab used the names Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) and Unmanned Aerial System (UAS). ACP, however, is part of the large-scale Swedish KFS project, which stands for Koncept för Framtida Stridsflygplan, or "Concept for the Future Combat Aircraft."
The most important element of the presentation was a full-scale mockup of what Saab calls the A3 aircraft. The idea was to demonstrate what a promising multirole fighter might look like and what capabilities it might possess if the company were awarded the development contract.
A full-scale mockup of the A3, rear three-quarter view. Note the serrated engine nozzle.
Overall, the A3 aircraft has much in common with the previous concept, which the company presented back in 2024.
The concept retains the same tailless, stealthy configuration with substantial internal compartments for fuel and internal cargo. The discreet, slot-type DSI air intakes are still located on both sides of the fuselage, but the noticeable bulge above the engine nozzle has been removed.
The overall geometry remains the same: a streamlined wing and fuselage configuration with stubby wings and a noticeable "hump" around the swept leading edges, giving the aircraft some resemblance to the Cold War-era Saab Draken fighter.
This program gives Saab a strong and perhaps unique opportunity to enter the unmanned aerial vehicle market, at least in Europe, and at most globally.
As we've been saying for years, fourth-generation fighters could remain highly desirable when paired with unmanned aerial vehicles, and perhaps even more so with an advanced drone like this one.
A drone will still be expensive, but that could be offset by reducing or eliminating the need for a manned fifth- or sixth-generation fighter for some air forces looking to save big.
For now, Saab's promising drone remains more of a concept than a finished product, but the company is clearly positioning it as more than just an experimental drone.
The A1 and A2 demonstrators are designed to prove that the technologies needed to create a survivable, supersonic and stealthy unmanned aerial vehicle exist, and the A3 concept unveiled today shows where Saab believes these technologies can lead.
Whether Stockholm chooses a new manned fighter developed by Saab, joins an international program to build a sixth-generation fighter, or opts for a mixed fleet of manned and unmanned aircraft, work on the A3 project gives the country the opportunity to explore these options without committing itself to any one of them.
On August 22, Saab's press service published new photographs of a full-scale conceptual model of the company's future unmanned combat aircraft system, the A3.
Peter Nilsson, Head of Advanced Programs at Saab, explained:
We are currently in an intensive development phase, working with the Swedish Ministry of Defence to explore technologies that will form the basis of next-generation combat air systems. As part of this work, we aim to launch unmanned demonstrators with fighter-like capabilities by 2030, supporting Sweden in its exploration of future options. This separate Saab A3 system is our own concept for what could emerge in the mid-2030s if Sweden decides to continue our current work. Saab is well-positioned to develop next-generation combat air systems based on the Gripen and GlobalEye, as well as our long-standing expertise in advanced aerospace systems.
All that can be added to all this is that yes, Sweden has a real chance of success. While one triumvirate for sixth-generation fighter development has successfully collapsed, and the other is truly stalled, Sweden will soon be able to offer Europe a viable replacement option, consisting of a 4++ fighter and a "faithful wingman," capable of solving most of the challenges facing modern air forces.
And it is absolutely not worth excluding the possibility that the concept proposed by the Swedes will not only be viable, but may well also prove effective.
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