Sweden to Assist Australia for Submarine Upgrade Program

Sweden to provide assistance to Australia for submarine upgrade program
HMAS Waller, a Collins-class submarine, in Sydney Harbour. Credit: Royal Australian Navy
Through The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) and its Australian counterpart, Sweden and Australia have reached an agreement on the use of Swedish submarine technology as part of long-term bilateral cooperation between the countries.
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Swedish Defence Materiel Administration press release – Translated by Naval News

The collaboration will allow Australia to use new Swedish technology owned by FMV in the modernization of its existing submarine fleet.

Australia plans to modernize and extend the service life of its Collins-class submarines, which were developed by Kockums AB and built by Australian submarine yard ASC Pty Ltd (ASC) in the 1980s and 1990s.

The agreement will enable a long-term collaboration in which ASC will contract Sweden’s Saab Kockums AB to further develop the submarine class.

“Both Sweden and Australia consider the submarine sector to be of great strategic importance for defense capability. The cooperation shows that Swedish submarine technology is in demand and FMV looks forward to long-term cooperation between the countries.”


General Goeran MÃ¥rtensson, Director of FMV

The Collins class, which consists of six submarines, was developed from Sweden’s Vaestergoetland-class. Sweden has since developed the Gotland-class, and Saab Kockums is currently building a new generation of Blekinge-class (A26) submarines on behalf of FMV.

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