AFA 2026: Swarm Aero eyes 2027 Gamera flight as Textron/Merlin reveal SkyCourier UX
Swarm Aero’s Gamera could be positioned for the US Air Force’s future Massed Modular Aircraft programme. (Photo: author)
Two new uncrewed aircraft concepts target very different US military requirements, from massed long-range strike to autonomous logistics. Shephard spoke with executives from Swarm Aero, Textron Aviation and Merlin Labs at this year’s AFA Air, Space and Cyber conference to learn more about their capabilities.
At the Air, Space and Cyber Conference outside Washington, DC, two uncrewed aircraft were announced: Swarm Aero’s Gamera, a new category of Group 5 mass-strike uncrewed aerial system (UAS), and a concept Cessna SkyCourier UX aircraft jointly developed by Textron Aviation and Merlin Labs.
In an exclusive conversation with Shephard ahead of the conference, Swarm Aero CEO Peter Kalogiannis confirmed: “We are building the [Gamera] prototype today. Our goal is to fly the prototype in 2027.”
“The prototype is coming together as we speak,” he added.
Kalogiannis believes Gamera “is a perfect fit for the US Air Force’s Massed Modular Aircraft
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