Saab has received a contract from Sweden covering the final production phase for two Blekinge-class (A26) submarines.
The contract, valued at around 9.6 billion Swedish kronor ($1 billion), includes additional material and services, with most deliveries scheduled between 2026 and 2032.
The submarines are designed to provide mission flexibility, autonomous operation, and integration with uncrewed systems.
“Saab is currently building the world’s most advanced conventional submarines for Sweden,” said Micael Johansson, President and CEO of Saab.
“Following excellent cooperation between Saab and [the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration] we have ensured that Sweden has a state-of-the-art underwater capability which will contribute to keeping our nation’s waters safe for decades to come,” he added.
Construction of the first Blekinge-class submarine, HMS Blekinge, officially began in 2022 with the keel laying ceremony at Saab’s shipyard in Karlskrona, Sweden’s southern Baltic coast.
The order was placed in 2015, marking the first new submarines built in the Scandinavian country in more than 20 years.
Blekinge-Class
The Blekinge-class submarine incorporates several advanced design features.
A key element is the Multi-Mission Portal, a configurable system that allows the launch and recovery of various payloads, including manned and unmanned underwater vehicles and special forces units.
The submarines are equipped for intelligence gathering and can operate independently or alongside Saab’s Autonomous Ocean Drone and other uncrewed underwater systems.
The Blekinge-class measures 66.1 meters (217 feet) in length, with a beam of 6.75 meters (22 feet) and a displacement of 1,925 tons.
It is powered by three diesel engines and three Stirling engines and can accommodate a crew of 17 to 26, with a maximum of 35.
