Soldiers invent their own combat solutions at record speed

Swedish troops are developing battlefield innovations at an unprecedented pace under a military project designed to accelerate the adoption of new technology.

The initiative, called Strilab, places soldiers at the center of rapid prototyping, drawing inspiration from frontline innovations in Ukraine. The five-week program brings together part-time soldiers—many of them engineering students—to create and test new equipment and methods for the Swedish Armed Forces.

“I got tired of the old 1980s systems, so I made my own,” said Lucas Nilsson, a part-time soldier and engineering student participating in the project.

Strilab operates with small teams led by instructors flown in from Silicon Valley, collaborating with industry partners, the Swedish Defence Research Agency (FOI), and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV). The goal is to compress development timelines by cutting bureaucratic delays and fostering direct collaboration between soldiers and engineers.

“Ukraine has taught us to lower barriers and work more closely together,” said Jakob Blomqvist, head of the Combat Laboratory. “We need to turn ideas and experiences into new methods or weapons as quickly as possible.”

One early success from the program’s predecessor was the “Rat” ground drone, built evenings and weekends by engineering students. The device allows soldiers to search buildings remotely instead of risking lives by sending teams inside.

“We decided to stop waiting and start building,” said Fabian Duke, platoon commander and deputy head of Strilab, who helped develop the drone. “Rat” is now used regularly by the Life Guards Brigade in military exercises.

The project also challenges traditional risk management, particularly around digital tools. While analog systems like paper maps carry risks of loss or damage, digital alternatives introduce new vulnerabilities, including reliance on foreign software.

“Those making these decisions weigh all the risks,” Duke said. “Our goal today is to use the best software available that those above us confirm is secure.”

Organizers hope the fast, decentralized approach will continue beyond the five-week program, embedding a culture of rapid innovation within the armed forces.