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 & Cyber conference to learn more about their capabilities.
At the Air, Space & 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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