Saab receives contract for third Gotland SSK MLU

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded a contract to Saab for the mid-life upgrade (MLU) of the Royal Swedish Navy's (RSwN's) third Gotland (Type A19)-class diesel-electric submarine (SSK), HSwMS Halland.

The scope of the award, announced on 18 March and valued at SEK1.1 billion (USD116 million), includes a major platform overhaul and upgrade of the combat system that will enable Halland to remain in service to around 2030.

Work will be carried out at Saab's Kockums shipyard facility in Karlskrona.

The RSwN's three Gotland-class SSKs were built by Kockums between 1990–97. Halland is the final ship to receive its MLU. The first two boats, HSwMS Gotland and HSwMS Uppland , completed their overhauls under a SEK2.1 billion (USD232.7 million) contract awarded to Saab in June 2015. Halland was refitted in 2014–15 to be available while the other boats underwent their MLUs.

Gotland began its refit in late 2015, was relaunched in June 2018, and returned to service in the second half of 2019. Uppland began its refit in 2016, was relaunched in June 2019, and returned to service in 2020.

Halland's MLU will include an upgrade of the Stirling air-independent propulsion plant to Mk 3 standard, the addition of a 2 m hull ‘plug' and a diver lock-out chamber, new Calzoni masts, a new Sagem Series 30 optronic mast, new radar and electronic warfare suite, an updated sonar suite, a new profiled snorkel, and an upgrade of the Combat Management System(CMS). The new 2 m hull section will be inserted into the mid-section of Halland via a hull cut, and will carry the seawater and freshwater cooling and water-chiller plants as well as accommodate new equipment.