17:46 GMT, June 22, 2010 On June 16 the Swedish Parliament voted in favor of allowing the government to procure two new submarines during 2010.

"I am not surprised that the parliament decided to make this decision as it was a part of the proposed spring budget presented earlier this year by the government. The decision is however very important since it formally allows the government to continue the process of procuring these submarines. The parliaments decision is therefore positive from a Kockums perspective," says Ola Alfredsson, CEO of Kockums AB

Kockums AB has earlier received the government contract to design and propose a construction of a new submarine. The company has also started to prepare for this by hiring new employees like system and development engineers.

"The procurement of two new submarines will mean an essential upgrade of the Swedish submarine capacity. Our new submarine construction represents the latest in marine technology. The submarine will, among other things, be strengthened in its role as an information gatherer being equipped with refined stealth technology that will enable it to see and hear everything within a large diameter without being detected. It is constructed in order to operate effectively in the Baltic Sea and other littoral waters," Ola Alfredsson concludes.