The document was published last week on the government of Sweden website. The proposal is expected to form the basis for the next Swedish Defence Act, planned for later this year. The proposal is notable in a number of ways, being the first made following Sweden’s NATO membership as well as the first since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
The report notes that currently, the situation for the Swedish Navy is largely in accordance with the current defence act – though it also notes that lack of personnel means the Navy has not been able to fill all crews according to plan. For the future, the focus will be on the ability to establish command of the seas close to Swedish shores to be able to protect friendly shipping, including both merchant shipping as well as the supply lines stretching over the Baltic Sea to fellow NATO allies Finland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. In addition, Sweden is to participate in the rotational Standing Naval Forces of NATO.
More ships for Sweden ?
Currently, Sweden is procuring four heavy corvettes of the Luleå-class with deliveries starting in the first half of the 2030s. However, the committee advocates for the procurement of another class of vessels with introduction in the mid-2030s, which would be based on an existing design with limited modifications. Naval News understands that Sweden could be looking at Finland’s future Pohjanmaa-class as a possible design.
Also starting in the mid-2030s a new maritime helicopter is set to replace the existing NH90-squadron. The Swedish NH90 is a unique Swedish maritime adaptation of the NH90TTH, designated Hkp14F.
The plan for the current vessels is that the Visby-class of stealth corvettes currently undergoing MLUs will stay in service into the 2040s, while the two smaller Gävle-class corvettes and the two older Stockholm-class corvettes now reclassed as patrol vessels are to serve into the 2030s when replaced by the Luleå-class. The committee argues that keeping the two Gävle-class vessels in service until the proposed new vessel class enter service should be considered.
More submarines ?
A major new proposal is the future of the submarine service. The Committee notes that the two A26 Blekinge-class submarines will enter service around 2030 to replace the serving submarine HMS Södermanland and the mothballed HMS Östergötland, a delay of six to eight years compared to the plan upon contract signing in 2015. By that time, a new submarine design known as “Submarine 30” is to be created for deliveries starting approximately 2038, which will replace the three vessels of the A19 Gotland-class. The possibility of growing the submarine force to six vessels is to be studied, with four submarines of the new class a possibility.
Based on reporting to Swedish public broadcaster SVT, the new design would be smaller than the A26 Blekinge but carry more weapons. This is a noted change, as earlier the Swedish Navy has argued for a third A26 Blekinge-class submarine to be bought. A key feature of the A26 is the ability to allow divers to exit through a multi-mission portal, meaning this would indicate a change in requirements.
