Saab press release
Saab has conducted a Mid-life upgrade of HMS Uppland. Taking all necessary measures to ensure the submarine’s operational availability, the upgrade includes new sensors and navigation systems, giving the vessel enhanced capabilities. The delivery of HMS Uppland was conducted today at a ceremony in Karlskrona, Sweden.
HMS Uppland is the second submarine in the Gotland-class to have gone through major changes and is now operational again.
“The Gotland-class submarines have an international reputation that many other submarines would wish for, with a stealthy ability and endurance beyond the ordinary. Sweden’s ability to develop world-class submarines is a result of the close cooperation between industry, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration and the Swedish Royal Navy. We at Saab are proud that the latest cutting-edge underwater technology is now operational on-board both HMS Uppland and HMS Gotland.”
Lars Tossman, head of Saab business area Kockums.
HMS Uppland has had 50 new systems installed or modified, of which 20 are new systems that in the future will be used in the next generation of submarines, the Blekinge-class. This means, for example, new possibilities to analyse the boat’s surroundings with a so called Optronic Mast, replacing the traditional periscope and associated management system.
The Gotland-class submarines were built in 1990-1997. The submarine class consists of three submarines, all which have gone through minor modifications during the first part of their lifetime. HMS Gotland was the first boat to go through a Mid-life Upgrade. The submarine was split into two parts to be able to carry out larger changes.
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About Gotland-class SSK
HSwMS Gotland is the first of a group of 3 Gotland-class submarines (also known as A19). It is a diesel electric submarine (SSK) of the Swedish Navy featuring an air independent propulsion system. HSwMS Gotland was designed and built by Kockums in Malmö in the early 1990’s and commissioned in 1996.
Mid-life upgrade
Two of the three Gotland-class submarines have now concluded comprehensive mid-life upgrades (MLU) and are equipped to face the challenges of tomorrow. There is an option for the modernization and upgrade of the third submarine of the class, HSwMS Halland.
The upgrade process entailed many important systems, such as the Stirling air independent propulsion (AIP) system upgraded from Mk2 to the new Mk3, a complete new mast suite by Safran, Kongsberg’s SA9510S sonar and Exelis’ ES-3701 electronic warfare systems as well as new management, sensor and communication systems.
The Gotland class is a 60.7 meters long submarine with a displacement of 1 380 tons, mainly designed for submarine missions such as antiship/antisubmarine warfare, collecting of intelligence, forward surveillance, special operations, and mine-laying tasks.
Upgraded Gotland-class Main specifications:
- Length: 62.7m
- Beam: 6.2m
- Draft: 5.6m
- Propulsion: Two diesel-elctric MTU engines; 2 × Kockums v4-275R Stirling AIP units
- Speed: 11 knots surfaced and 20 knots submerged
- Crew: 32 maximum
- Weapons: 4 × 533 mm Torpedo tubes; 2 × 400 mm Torpedo tubes; 48 × Externally Mounted Naval Mines
