Kockums to Design Sweden‘s Next-Generation Submarine
A26 Submarine Programme to Enter Next Phase after Government Approval
10:01 GMT, February 26, 2010 defpro.com | Following last week’s approval by the Swedish government to initiate the design phase, the country’s Defence Materiel Administration (Försvarets materielverk, FMV) awarded Kockums AB, a 100% subsidiary of ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, with a contract for the overall design of Sweden’s next-generation submarine. This decision is seen as confirming the government’s intention to further develop Sweden’s submarine capability, after the programme was delayed and failed to be carried out as a multi-national Scandinavian procurement programme, as was originally planned. Initiation of the design phase for the submarines, designated A26, was previously approved by the Swedish government in December 2007.
Several years ago, Sweden was involved in talks with Norway and Denmark, within the framework of the so-called “Viking” project, to build a tri-national next-generation submarine. However, after Denmark decided not to operate any submarines in the future, Norway also left the project and it continued on as a national programme. Nevertheless, Norway has shown continued interest and is examining a possible future purchase of the submarine. For the time being, this remains an exclusively Swedish programme, which so far is intended to provide two submarines for the Swedish Navy, as confirmed by Ulf Lindström, Press Relations Manager at the FMV. However, the final number of next-generation submarines to be procured has not yet been decided by the government.
Commenting the order for the overall design, Kockums CEO Ola Alfredsson said: “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 light of the current threat scenarios. HMS Gotland demonstrated what she is capable of during two years [June 2005 - July 2007] of joint exercises in the waters off the USA. This next-generation submarine marks a further refinement of technology.”
According to Kockums, the naval capabilities of the new generation will focus on littoral operations, however, without abandoning its significant ocean-going capabilities. It will be powered by conventional diesel-electric propulsion machinery and will be equipped with Kockums Stirling AIP system (air-independent propulsion). The latter have already been successfully operated with Gotland-class submarines, which made them most interesting to the US Navy, which leased a Gotland-class vessel for naval exercise purposes. The Sterling AIP system, combined with a set of balanced underwater signature properties, makes the submarine very difficult to detect and allows it to stay submerged for weeks. Furthermore, Kockums will also attempt to create a design that will be highly protected from underwater explosions through verified shock resistance.
Ulf Lindström further commented on the capabilities of Sweden’s future submarines: “The submarine will, among other new features, be equipped to support Special Forces operations as well as the future use of autonomous or remotely controlled underwater vehicles.” The submarine, which is intended to provide a high degree of modularity, “is also optimised for efficient production using large, resiliently mounted platforms and a highly modular interior,” explained Lindström.
A key element in the future operations of the submarines will be information gathering, as Kjell Göthe, Senior Vice President PR & Communications at Kockums, told defpro.com. The combination of sensors and noiseless propulsion will enable the submarine to see and hear everything over a wide area while remaining undetected.
As Mr Göthe said, the recently awarded design contract, which will be implemented during the next two years, is an important success for Kockums and supports the further sustainment and development of Swedish expertise and know-how in the field of naval development and construction. The government is scheduled to make a decision on the building phase in spring 2010 and is aiming at 2017 for the launch of the first vessel.
Nicolas von Kospoth
