Defence contractor Saab has unveiled the Combat Boat 90 Capability X (CB90 CX), an optionally crewed successor to its CB90 fast military assault craft.
The new vessel is offered in three distinct configurations, enabling it to perform intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), anti-ship warfare, and short-range air defence (SHORAD) missions.
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Saab stated that the new capabilities are intended to meet the challenges of “modern naval reality.”
Currently, production of the CB90 CX is underway for Sweden, its initial customer, where it will operate alongside the smaller CB90 NG currently in service.
The CB90 CX is larger than earlier vessels in the family and has increased payload capacity and updated onboard systems.
Saab said it is designed to operate across a wider range of sea states while retaining the characteristics of the troop-carrying CB90 platform.
The boat can be operated with or without a crew using Saab’s Autonomous Ocean Core system, according to the company.
The design allows sensors and weapons to be deployed from dispersed positions as part of a wider naval or joint force.
The ISR configuration uses Saab’s Giraffe 1X radar to support multi-domain situational awareness. The anti-ship variant is intended to provide over-the-horizon engagement capability against surface vessels.
The short-range air-defence configuration is equipped with an anti-aircraft autocannon. Saab said this variant is intended to address the proliferation of uncrewed air systems.
The three configurations can operate together, providing complementary surveillance, surface-strike and air-defence functions, the company said.
Saab business unit Docksta head Anders Hellman said: “The future of naval operations is not just about having more platforms; it is about distributing greater combat capability across the force. As operational realities change, so does CB90.
“CB90 CX reflects this evolution, moving beyond troop transport to connecting sensors and weapons and delivering combat capability directly from the boat, whether crewed or uncrewed.”
