Kockums AB, part of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, has signed a contract with FMV (the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration), concerning overall of the design phase of the next-generation submarine.
This confirms the intention to develop Sweden’s submarine capability. Kockums is prime contractor for the order.
The Supreme Commander of the Swedish Armed Forces has emphasized the importance of acquiring the next-generation submarine on a number of different occasions.
The next-generation submarine features several advances in the development of underwater technology and marks the adaptation of submarines to meet current and future threats and to conduct the international mission now required. This refers particularly to the submarine’s role as an information gatherer.
Next-generation also refers to further refinements in terms of stealth technology. The submarine will be able to see and hear everything over a wide area, while itself remaining undetected. It will be designed to be efficient in the Baltic and other littoral waters.
“This is an important first step, not only for Kockums, but for the Swedish Armed Forces as a whole. We shall now be able to maintain our position at the cutting edge of submarine technology, which is vital in the light of current threat scenarios. HMS Gotland demonstrated what she is capable of during two years of joint exercises in the water off the USA. This next-generation submarine marks a further refinement of technology,” states CEO Ola Alfredsson, commenting the news.
