Counter-drone protection for trucks: Volvo Defense and Nordic Air Defence develop VIPRO pod

Volvo Defense and Nordic Air Defence, a Swedish defence technology start-up, are joining forces. The two partners intend to further develop VIPRO, a compact counter-drone pod – a Counter-Unmanned Aircraft System (CUAS) – for integrated vehicle protection. The system is designed to fire interceptors against drones directly from the vehicle.

The plans were shown publicly for the first time in mid-September at DSEI in London; VIPRO is to come onto the market in 2026.

The focus is on installing the Kreuger 100XR, a lightweight, software-based interceptor system from Nordic Air Defence, on truck platforms. The pod is designed for rapid launch directly from launchers integrated into the vehicle. In future, military vehicles are thus to be protected against threats from the air.

Why vehicles need counter-drone protection

The need for such systems is obvious. In the war in Ukraine, combat drones have become the greatest danger to armoured vehicles, especially cheap first-person view (FPV) models costing less than 1,000 euros. Around two thirds of Russian losses of tanks, infantry fighting vehicles, artillery and even state-of-the-art air defence systems are attributable to drones alone.

Although unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) and drones are becoming ever more widespread, trucks and troop carriers remain indispensable in everyday military life – and therefore vulnerable. In February, Swedish procurement agency FMV ordered a total of 775 vehicles from Scania and Volvo to expand the Swedish Armed Forces.