The new special-purpose SIGINT ship will replace the Swedish Navy’s existing HMS Orion. Credit: © Saab AB.

Saab has launched the special-purpose signal intelligence (SIGINT) ship for the Royal Swedish Navy during a ceremony in PGZ Stocznia Wojenna in Gdynia.

Saab selected the Polish Nauta Shiprepair Yard to build the ship platform for the SIGINT vessel in April 2017. The facility is part of the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ).

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The contract awarded to Nauta Shiprepair Yard also includes launching and performing the sea trials.

The yard will now perform outfitting and equipment installation before sending the vessel to undergo harbour and sea testing.

After this, SIGINT will sail to Saab’s shipyard in Karlskrona where it will be outfitted with special systems.

Saab senior vice-president and business area Kockums head Gunnar Wieslander said: “We are delighted to achieve a significant milestone within the contract for the construction of a signals intelligence ship, which will serve the Royal Swedish Navy.”

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“The launch of the signal intelligence ship is a significant event in the construction process.”

The launch ceremony was attended by representatives of the Polish Government, PGZ and Saab, the Royal Swedish Navy, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), and National Defence Radio Establishment (FRA).

The first steel-cutting for the SIGINT vessel occurred in March last year and the keel-laying was performed in June.

The 74m ship is set to replace the Swedish Navy’s existing HMS Orion. It has a displacement of 2,200t.

Nauta Shiprepair Yard Board acting president Adam Potrykus said: “The launch of the signal intelligence ship is a significant event in the construction process. The vessel is a showcase of the high quality and technical capabilities of the shipyard and our partners.”

Saab received the contract to design and build the SIGINT ship from FMV in 2017.

In 2016, the company partnered with PGZ to cooperate in the planning and delivery of naval programmes.

Meanwhile, Swedish rear admiral Jens Nykvist has announced that the new SIGINT ship will be named HMS Artemis.

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