27 May 2022

Update: FMV contracts for new surface ship torpedo tubes

by Richard Scott

A Tub m/8502 400 mm torpedo launcher fitted inside the weapon deck of the Visby-class corvette HMS Nyköping . The new Tub m/20 torpedo tube will replace the m/8502. (NAVYPIX/Richard Scott)

Sweden's Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has contracted Saab Dynamics to supply new 400 mm diameter torpedo launcher systems for Royal Swedish Navy (RSwN) surface combatants.

Announced on 24 May by both Saab and FMV, the approximately SEK150 million (USD15.3 million) order covers the delivery of the new Tub m/20 launch tube previously developed for the Finnish Navy's four new Pohjanmaa-class corvettes. Deliveries are set to start in 2023.

The Tub m/20 – an evolution of the existing Tub m/8502 tube used on the RSwN's Visby-class and Gävle-class corvettes – will be used to store and launch both the in-service Torpedo 45 and the successor Torpedo 47. While the two tube types have a similar form factor, thus enabling a seamless transition in service, the Tub m/20 incorporates a number of improvements including remote monitoring from the command information centre, and improved accessibility.

The tube itself is formed from composite material (fiberglass reinforced epoxy) while the support frame is metal. According to Saab, these material choices provide for a lightweight but rigid torpedo launcher that will be easy to maintain as well as meeting environmental requirements.

Furthermore, the Tub m/20 has been designed to accommodate future growth requirements. For example, it is possible to stack two tubes on top of one another to increase the torpedo outload. It will also be possible to detach the tube from its foundation, to simplify handling for loading and unloading.

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