Saab’s new Nimbrix interceptor to provide a cost-effective answer against massive drone attacks
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On August 28, 2025, the Swedish defense manufacturer Saab introduced the Nimbrix, its first dedicated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) designed to address the rising use of small drones in modern conflicts. The Nimbrix is ground-based, compact, and cost-focused, with Saab indicating the first deliveries are planned for 2026. The missile will be displayed at the DSEI defense exhibition in London between September 9 and 12, 2025, at Saab’s stand N9-105. The announcement comes at a time when counter-drone solutions are in demand as states and armed forces adapt to the widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles.Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Nimbrix’s unveiling comes at a time when the interest in counter-drone systems, particularly interceptor drones, has surged worldwide to fill a necessary low-tier air defense layer, mainly due to lessons from the Ukraine war. (Picture source: Saab)
Saab indicates that the Nimbrix has an operational range of up to 5 kilometers, employs an active infrared seeker for tracking, and a hard-kill air-burst/high-explosive blast-fragmentation warhead optimized against small UAVs, including swarms. The missile is fire-and-forget and can be used independently or integrated into larger air defense networks. Its design emphasizes a short length of under one meter, a weight of less than three kilograms, and flexible mounting options for vehicles or fixed positions, to fill the capability gap between short-range gun-based systems and medium-range effectors such as the RBS 70NG missile. Saab highlighted that the ability to produce the missile in volume at relatively low cost is critical to maximize deployment numbers, while also allowing for a widespread coverage against UAV threats. Development of the Nimbrix began in 2024, with trials taking place during the Baltic Trust exercise in July 2025, where the Swedish Armed Forces tested the system. Ongoing discussions with potential customers include the possibility of licensed production in user countries. Saab confirmed that the missile is man-portable, easy to deploy, and that initial deliveries are targeted for 2026.
The Nimbrix’s unveiling comes at a time when the interest in counter-drone systems, particularly interceptor drones, has surged worldwide due to lessons from the Ukraine war. The concept of unmanned aerial vehicles intercepting hostile aircraft or drones has roots in Cold War experiments, when the United States and the Soviet Union explored remotely piloted vehicles for interception purposes, though the technology of that period limited results. The U.S. Navy’s Gyrodyne QH-50 in the 1960s was an early example of an unmanned helicopter with armed capability, while other prototypes investigated the concept of drones carrying air-to-air weapons. These remained theoretical exercises, as manned interceptors and surface-to-air missiles were more practical at the time. The Raytheon Coyote in the 21st century demonstrated the first modern adaptation of this idea, evolving from a decoy into a radar-guided expendable UAV interceptor available in kinetic and non-kinetic variants for counter-drone missions.
The conflict in Ukraine, beginning in 2022, has now established interceptor drones as a central operational need. Both Russia and Ukraine employed drones in large numbers, ranging from reconnaissance quadcopters to long-range loitering munitions such as the Iranian-made Shahed-136. Traditional air defense struggled to address this scale because using a missile costing over $100,000 against a drone worth a fraction of that was unsustainable. By mid-2023, Ukrainian and Russian forces had introduced multiple anti-drone measures, including jammers, guns, and interceptor drones, with the latter becoming more important as the conflict intensified. Ukrainian forces deployed FPV drones to ram Russian Lancets and Shaheds, while by 2024 these tactics had expanded into a core element of Kyiv’s air defense system. Russia has also recognized the trend and begun developing high-speed interceptor drones for base defense against Ukrainian UAVs.
Ukraine has become a center of development for these systems. Companies and volunteer groups have introduced various interceptor drones, including Besomar’s fixed-wing interceptors capable of downing a Russian Forpost surveillance drone at four kilometers altitude, Wild Hornets’ Sting FPV drones that achieved a recorded Shahed kill, and VARTA’s DroneHunter shotgun module, which turns standard FPV drones into close-range interceptors with an engagement range of 5 to 20 meters. Justifier Drones developed an air-launched system that drops interceptor FPVs from a larger carrier drone, providing altitude and extended range for engaging high-flying reconnaissance UAVs. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense approved the Chief-1 quadcopter in June 2025, featuring a sturdy frame, twin-barrel shotgun module, and onboard target recognition software for autonomous or manual interception. Russia’s developments include the Tarantul-Ptitselov net-launching quadcopter, the Yolka kamikaze-style shoulder-launched interceptor that collides with its target, and a prototype high-speed fixed-wing interceptor UAV.
Outside of Ukraine and Russia, other countries have advanced their own projects. The United States employs the Raytheon Coyote Block 2 as a tube-launched interceptor drone, while companies like Anduril Industries developed the Anvil drone to autonomously ram intruders. Fortem Technologies’ DroneHunter employs net capture and has been used at large public events. Israel contributes through companies like XTEND and Elbit, which have tested guided interceptors for close-range defense. European countries are increasing activity, with Latvia’s Origin Robotics developing the EU-funded BLAZE high-speed interceptor, Germany’s Argus Interception GmbH introducing an autonomous patrol system, and France’s CERBAIR and ONTIR integrating interceptor drones with jammers and guns. MARSS in Monaco and Italy has created the Interceptor-MR, and large defense groups like Airbus, Thales, and MBDA are investigating integration with missile systems. Chinese companies have showcased anti-drone drones at exhibitions, though little technical detail has been made public. Sweden, for its part, previously unveiled the Kreuger 100, a lightweight, battery-powered drone interceptor intended for both military and civilian applications.
Production in Ukraine reflects wartime urgency. By early 2025, the country was manufacturing around 200,000 drones of all types per month after a 900 percent increase in production, with interceptor drones forming a significant share. The Ministry of Defense reported testing ten different interceptor models for anti-Shahed roles, with several considered combat-ready and moving toward larger production. Volunteer-funded interceptors cost under $2,000 each, while official budgets such as UAH 260 million ($6.2 million) were allocated to Kyiv’s “Clean Sky” interception network. The system recorded 550 hostile drones shot down in testing at an average engagement cost of about $5,000 each. Russia’s production of interceptor drones remains small, focused primarily on experimental units like Tarantul-Ptitselov and Yolka, while its drone production overall prioritizes offensive platforms, with output of Shahed attack drones reported at approximately 170 per day by mid-2025 and expected to increase further. Latvia’s BLAZE project illustrates how NATO states are investing in mass production for future deployment.
Tactical employment divides into kamikaze and reusable interceptor categories. Kamikaze interceptors are low-cost FPVs guided to collide with enemy drones, with Ukrainian operators using them extensively against Shaheds and Lancets. Some are pre-positioned on patrol or launched from larger carrier drones to shorten response times. These systems are typically expended per engagement but are affordable enough to deploy in large numbers. Reusable interceptors employ methods like nets or aerial shotguns to bring down targets without self-destruction, as in the DroneHunter module or Chief-1. Net-equipped systems such as Russia’s Tarantul-Ptitselov capture hostile drones for analysis. Ukraine has organized interceptor squads that coordinate with radar networks, using both kamikaze and reusable drones within layered defenses around critical infrastructure. Russia has tested systems like Yolka for front-line units, seeking portable, disposable defenses against reconnaissance UAVs.
Armed forces globally are adapting doctrine to include interceptor drones as a permanent layer in multi-tiered air defenses. Ukraine emphasizes integration of interceptors with radar coverage and coordination centers, presenting them as a cost-saving measure that conserves medium and high-range missiles. NATO has identified counter-swarm interception as a gap requiring urgent solutions. Advantages of interceptor drones include low unit cost compared to missiles, reusability in some designs, reduced collateral damage, portability, and scalability. Weaknesses include limited range and endurance, susceptibility to weather, electronic vulnerability, risk of saturation, and reliance on external detection networks. Interceptor drones cannot replace medium- or high-altitude defenses but are considered a necessary complement for countering mass low-cost UAVs. NATO members and allies have begun procurement programs, while militaries in Europe and Asia are supporting development and integration through funding and exercises. Saab itself has kept the option of licensed production for Nimbrix open, reflecting the same industrial trend in Europe and beyond. The overall trajectory points to interceptor drones being embedded in defense planning as a new standard for countering unmanned threats.
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On August 28, 2025, the Swedish defense manufacturer Saab introduced the Nimbrix, its first dedicated Counter-Unmanned Aerial System (C-UAS) designed to address the rising use of small drones in modern conflicts. The Nimbrix is ground-based, compact, and cost-focused, with Saab indicating the first deliveries are planned for 2026. The missile will be displayed at the DSEI defense exhibition in London between September 9 and 12, 2025, at Saab’s stand N9-105. The announcement comes at a time when counter-drone solutions are in demand as states and armed forces adapt to the widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles.
Follow Army Recognition on Google News at this link
The Nimbrix’s unveiling comes at a time when the interest in counter-drone systems, particularly interceptor drones, has surged worldwide to fill a necessary low-tier air defense layer, mainly due to lessons from the Ukraine war. (Picture source: Saab)
Saab indicates that the Nimbrix has an operational range of up to 5 kilometers, employs an active infrared seeker for tracking, and a hard-kill air-burst/high-explosive blast-fragmentation warhead optimized against small UAVs, including swarms. The missile is fire-and-forget and can be used independently or integrated into larger air defense networks. Its design emphasizes a short length of under one meter, a weight of less than three kilograms, and flexible mounting options for vehicles or fixed positions, to fill the capability gap between short-range gun-based systems and medium-range effectors such as the RBS 70NG missile. Saab highlighted that the ability to produce the missile in volume at relatively low cost is critical to maximize deployment numbers, while also allowing for a widespread coverage against UAV threats. Development of the Nimbrix began in 2024, with trials taking place during the Baltic Trust exercise in July 2025, where the Swedish Armed Forces tested the system. Ongoing discussions with potential customers include the possibility of licensed production in user countries. Saab confirmed that the missile is man-portable, easy to deploy, and that initial deliveries are targeted for 2026.
The Nimbrix’s unveiling comes at a time when the interest in counter-drone systems, particularly interceptor drones, has surged worldwide due to lessons from the Ukraine war. The concept of unmanned aerial vehicles intercepting hostile aircraft or drones has roots in Cold War experiments, when the United States and the Soviet Union explored remotely piloted vehicles for interception purposes, though the technology of that period limited results. The U.S. Navy’s Gyrodyne QH-50 in the 1960s was an early example of an unmanned helicopter with armed capability, while other prototypes investigated the concept of drones carrying air-to-air weapons. These remained theoretical exercises, as manned interceptors and surface-to-air missiles were more practical at the time. The Raytheon Coyote in the 21st century demonstrated the first modern adaptation of this idea, evolving from a decoy into a radar-guided expendable UAV interceptor available in kinetic and non-kinetic variants for counter-drone missions.
The conflict in Ukraine, beginning in 2022, has now established interceptor drones as a central operational need. Both Russia and Ukraine employed drones in large numbers, ranging from reconnaissance quadcopters to long-range loitering munitions such as the Iranian-made Shahed-136. Traditional air defense struggled to address this scale because using a missile costing over $100,000 against a drone worth a fraction of that was unsustainable. By mid-2023, Ukrainian and Russian forces had introduced multiple anti-drone measures, including jammers, guns, and interceptor drones, with the latter becoming more important as the conflict intensified. Ukrainian forces deployed FPV drones to ram Russian Lancets and Shaheds, while by 2024 these tactics had expanded into a core element of Kyiv’s air defense system. Russia has also recognized the trend and begun developing high-speed interceptor drones for base defense against Ukrainian UAVs.
Ukraine has become a center of development for these systems. Companies and volunteer groups have introduced various interceptor drones, including Besomar’s fixed-wing interceptors capable of downing a Russian Forpost surveillance drone at four kilometers altitude, Wild Hornets’ Sting FPV drones that achieved a recorded Shahed kill, and VARTA’s DroneHunter shotgun module, which turns standard FPV drones into close-range interceptors with an engagement range of 5 to 20 meters. Justifier Drones developed an air-launched system that drops interceptor FPVs from a larger carrier drone, providing altitude and extended range for engaging high-flying reconnaissance UAVs. The Ukrainian Ministry of Defense approved the Chief-1 quadcopter in June 2025, featuring a sturdy frame, twin-barrel shotgun module, and onboard target recognition software for autonomous or manual interception. Russia’s developments include the Tarantul-Ptitselov net-launching quadcopter, the Yolka kamikaze-style shoulder-launched interceptor that collides with its target, and a prototype high-speed fixed-wing interceptor UAV.
Outside of Ukraine and Russia, other countries have advanced their own projects. The United States employs the Raytheon Coyote Block 2 as a tube-launched interceptor drone, while companies like Anduril Industries developed the Anvil drone to autonomously ram intruders. Fortem Technologies’ DroneHunter employs net capture and has been used at large public events. Israel contributes through companies like XTEND and Elbit, which have tested guided interceptors for close-range defense. European countries are increasing activity, with Latvia’s Origin Robotics developing the EU-funded BLAZE high-speed interceptor, Germany’s Argus Interception GmbH introducing an autonomous patrol system, and France’s CERBAIR and ONTIR integrating interceptor drones with jammers and guns. MARSS in Monaco and Italy has created the Interceptor-MR, and large defense groups like Airbus, Thales, and MBDA are investigating integration with missile systems. Chinese companies have showcased anti-drone drones at exhibitions, though little technical detail has been made public. Sweden, for its part, previously unveiled the Kreuger 100, a lightweight, battery-powered drone interceptor intended for both military and civilian applications.
Production in Ukraine reflects wartime urgency. By early 2025, the country was manufacturing around 200,000 drones of all types per month after a 900 percent increase in production, with interceptor drones forming a significant share. The Ministry of Defense reported testing ten different interceptor models for anti-Shahed roles, with several considered combat-ready and moving toward larger production. Volunteer-funded interceptors cost under $2,000 each, while official budgets such as UAH 260 million ($6.2 million) were allocated to Kyiv’s “Clean Sky” interception network. The system recorded 550 hostile drones shot down in testing at an average engagement cost of about $5,000 each. Russia’s production of interceptor drones remains small, focused primarily on experimental units like Tarantul-Ptitselov and Yolka, while its drone production overall prioritizes offensive platforms, with output of Shahed attack drones reported at approximately 170 per day by mid-2025 and expected to increase further. Latvia’s BLAZE project illustrates how NATO states are investing in mass production for future deployment.
Tactical employment divides into kamikaze and reusable interceptor categories. Kamikaze interceptors are low-cost FPVs guided to collide with enemy drones, with Ukrainian operators using them extensively against Shaheds and Lancets. Some are pre-positioned on patrol or launched from larger carrier drones to shorten response times. These systems are typically expended per engagement but are affordable enough to deploy in large numbers. Reusable interceptors employ methods like nets or aerial shotguns to bring down targets without self-destruction, as in the DroneHunter module or Chief-1. Net-equipped systems such as Russia’s Tarantul-Ptitselov capture hostile drones for analysis. Ukraine has organized interceptor squads that coordinate with radar networks, using both kamikaze and reusable drones within layered defenses around critical infrastructure. Russia has tested systems like Yolka for front-line units, seeking portable, disposable defenses against reconnaissance UAVs.
Armed forces globally are adapting doctrine to include interceptor drones as a permanent layer in multi-tiered air defenses. Ukraine emphasizes integration of interceptors with radar coverage and coordination centers, presenting them as a cost-saving measure that conserves medium and high-range missiles. NATO has identified counter-swarm interception as a gap requiring urgent solutions. Advantages of interceptor drones include low unit cost compared to missiles, reusability in some designs, reduced collateral damage, portability, and scalability. Weaknesses include limited range and endurance, susceptibility to weather, electronic vulnerability, risk of saturation, and reliance on external detection networks. Interceptor drones cannot replace medium- or high-altitude defenses but are considered a necessary complement for countering mass low-cost UAVs. NATO members and allies have begun procurement programs, while militaries in Europe and Asia are supporting development and integration through funding and exercises. Saab itself has kept the option of licensed production for Nimbrix open, reflecting the same industrial trend in Europe and beyond. The overall trajectory points to interceptor drones being embedded in defense planning as a new standard for countering unmanned threats.
