Swedish Navy’s HSwMS Gotland submarine completes mid-life overhaul

The Swedish Navy’s Gotland-class, air-independent propulsion (AIP) submarine HSwMS Gotland has successfully completed its mid-life upgrade and modernisation programme.

The attack submarine has been relaunched during a ceremony in Karlskrona, Sweden, and is now slated to begin sea trials.

HSwMS Gotland was originally built by Saab’s Kockums shipyard in Malmo, Sweden.

Saab Kockums Business Area senior vice-president and head Gunnar Wieslander said: “The relaunch of Gotland is an important milestone in the evolutionary development of the Swedish submarines.

“After a comprehensive upgrade, integrating the latest generation of important systems such as the Stirling Engine, modern sensors and new management functions, Gotland is almost a new submarine, ready to take on missions around the world.”

The Swedish Navy’s Gotland-class submarines have previously undergone regular revamps, modifications and upgrades throughout their operational life.

The 60m-long Gotland-class vessels have been designed and constructed to carry out all submarine activities, anti-shipping operations and anti-submarine warfare (ASW) missions, as well as forward surveillance, special operations and mine-laying tasks.

Furthermore, the submarines feature a surfaced displacement of 1,500t and are capable of carrying powerful array of wire-guided and homing weapons, including a variety of newly developed multi-purpose homing torpedoes, missiles and mines.

In addition to HSwMS Gotland, the other two submarines in the Gotland class are named HSwMS Uppland and HSwMS Halland.

Saab originally signed contracts with the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) in June 2015 for the mid-life upgrade of two Gotland-class submarines for Skr2.1bn (approximately $248m).