Swede Ship Marine AB will supply eight sea-mobile artillery platforms equipped with stabilizing grenade launchers for deployment in Stockholm and Gothenburg’s Amphibious Battalion.
Upon fulfillment of the agreement, the Swedish Armed Forces will gain enhanced capability to perform accurate indirect fire while advancing at sea.
The Swedish defense ministry picked Swede Ship Marine as the preferred artillery platform provider after beginning its search in 2021. As explained back then, the artillery platforms for the amphibious battalion will be smaller than vessels currently in service, such as the Visby corvettes, which have all necessary functions, i.e. command, sensors and weapons, contained in the platform.
The Amphibious Battalion, which will be set up as part of the project Amfbat 2030, will leverage many smaller functional units, with command, sensor data and operational components distributed on different platforms for indirect fire support.
The introduction of sea-mobile artillery platforms is expected to offer an advantage on the battlefield by allowing swift regrouping and rapid fire support in combat situations.
Unlike hand-held grenade launchers, which can take several hours to relocate over a couple of kilometers, these new platforms can move and be ready to fire within minutes.
Alongside its capability for indirect fire, the boat’s sensors and weapon systems are also required to facilitate self-protection through direct fire engagements.
“It is very gratifying that we can realize a completely new capability that gives the Armed Forces’ amphibious units a greatly increased opportunity to provide fire support to coastal units within the land and sea forces”, says Claes Westergren, head of production at Swedish Defense Materiel Administration (FMV).
“In Sweden’s unique archipelago environment with many islands and obscured visibility, this capability provides a strong addition to combating the enemy in an archipelago environment”, says Lennart Klingenstierna, project manager at FMV.
The fast mortar ship, as advertised by the manufacturer, is 24.25 meters long, 5.10 meters wide, and has a draught of 1.25 meters. With a maximum speed of 33 knots (and 30 knots when loaded), this ship combines agility with firepower.
A crew of 8 operates the vessel, which is equipped with a forward gun and an aft gun, both with a caliber of 12.7 mm. Additionally, the ship features a 120 mm mortar, enhancing its combat capabilities.
In addition to the artillery platforms, the contract encompasses the provision of training systems and spare parts, with the delivery of training systems scheduled for 2026-2027, followed by the artillery platforms in 2027-2028.
