Mid-Life Upgrade Of Swedish Submarine Complete

HSwMS Halland, the third Gotland-class submarine of the Swedish Navy, has been relaunched at the end of her mid-life upgrade by Saab.

As per a recent press statement from the firm, the boat was relaunched on Thursday at Saab's shipyard in Karlskrona, roughly 230m miles south of Stockholm on Sweden’s south coast. 

Many of the upgrades fitted to HSwMS Halland, featuring changes to more than 20 systems including sensors and command systems, will also be fitted to the Swedish Navy’s upcoming Blekinge-class submarines, the first of which is expected to be completed in 2027.

HSwMS Halland was commissioned in 1996 and like her sister boats is a conventionally-powered sub featuring a Stirling engine air-independent propulsion (AIP) system which extends her underwater endurance.

Mats Wicksell, Head of Saab's Kockums business, commented: “Securing critical underwater infrastructure and sea lanes is more important than ever.

“The launch of HMS Halland is a testament to Saab's ability to upgrade and deliver advanced submarines with the capabilities the Swedish Navy requires. With HMS Halland, the Swedish Navy, and by extension NATO, is given additional muscle to defend and monitor the Baltic Sea.” 

• You can read more details on the Saab website