Swedish defence company Saab has signed a contract with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) for the Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) of the third Gotland-class submarine, HMS Halland. The total order value is SEK 1.1 billion ($117 million).
“This contract shows that an extensive Mid-Life Upgrade is a reliable, cost- and time-efficient solution for the Swedish Navy to receive essential new capabilities. It is also a proof point of Saab’s commitment to provide Sweden with cutting-edge underwater technology” – Lars Tossman, Saab’s Head of Business Area Kockums
The Swedish navy operates three Gotland-class submarines built between 1990-1997. All three platforms have gone through minor modifications during the first part of their lifetime and HMS Halland will be the final submarine to go through an extensive MLU. HMS Gotland and HMS Uppland were relaunched in 2018 and 2019 following their MLU.
Saab states: “The updated versions of the Gotland-class are paving the way for the most modern air-independent propulsion submarine under production today: the Blekinge-class (A26), and that more than 20 new systems that will be implemented in the state of the art A26 is also implemented in HMS Halland as part of the Mid-Life Upgrade, which contributes to their de-risking for the A26.”
Gotland-class submarine
| Type: | Builders: |
| Diesel-electric submarine | Saab Kockums |
| Country of origin: | Operator: |
| Sweden | Swedish Navy |
| Built: | In commission: |
| 1992 – 1996 | 1996 – present |
| Number built: | Crew: |
| 3 | 32 |
| Displacement: | Dimensions: |
| Surfaced: 1,494 tonnes; submerged: 1,599 tonnes | Length: 60.4 m; beam: 6.2 m; draught: 5.6 m |
| Armament: | On-board Systems: |
| 4 × 533 mm torpedo tubes; 2 × 400 mm torpedo tubes; 48 × externally mounted naval mines | CSU 90-2 integrated sonar sensor suite; Kollmorgen search and attack periscope; Terma Scanter navigation radar; Manta radar surveillance and warning system; SESUB 940A combat management system |
| Endurance: | Propulsion: |
| 14 days | 2 × Diesel-electric MTU engines; 2 × Kockums v4-275R Stirling AIP units |
| Speed: | |
| Surfaced: 11 knots; submerged: 20 knots |
