The Swedish defense procurement agency (FMV) has awarded Saab a contract for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the third and final Swedish Navy Gotland-class submarine, HMS Halland.
The contract for all the work to be undertaken is worth SEK 1.1 billion (approx. $117M).
The Gotland-class submarines were built between 1990 and 1997, and have gone through minor modifications during the first part of their lifetime.
HMS Halland is now the final boat to go through an extensive MLU, which was completed on HMS Gotland and HMS Uppland in 2018 and 2019. Gotland was redelivered to the Swedish Navy in 2020 after undergoing all trials.
During the overhaul, the submarines are cut in half to add an additional 2 meter hull section to accommodate the third generation of the Stirling air-independent propulsion engine and a diver lock-out chamber in addition to combat management and ship management systems upgrades.
The overhaul process also incorporates over 20 new systems that will be shared with the next generation of Swedish submarines, the Blekinge-class A26. Saab and FMV say the addition of systems from the A26 contributes to the de-risking efforts for the A26 program.
“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,” said Lars Tossman, Saab’s head of business area Kockums.
