Sweden to design new submarine

Sweden’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) has allocated funding to allow the Swedish naval yard Kockums to begin designing the Royal Swedish Navy’s next-generation submarine.

“The government’s funding announcement is welcome. It is good news for Kockums and the Swedish Navy,” Kockums spokesman Kjell Göthe said.

The MoD’s release of design-phase funding has been awaited by Kockums for almost a year. The significance cannot be underestimated, Göthe said.

“Development work cannot continue. The funding clearly shows Sweden’s intention to continue its commitment to its submarine force, which has been so successful,” Göthe said.

But the funding does not commit the government to a full-scale building program, the MoD statement said.

“The actual procurement of such a vessel is dependent on a decision to be taken during 2008 concerning Swedish Government approval for initiation of construction,” it said.

The Royal Swedish Navy (RSN) has argued that the new sub could form the backbone of a more compact and cost-efficient naval force.

The MoD statement said the “domestic development of such a submarine could prove more economical than procurement of a parallel platform on the international market.”

According to the statement, the domestic development of the NGS would also ensure retention of the majority of Sweden’s naval shipbuilding expertise, securing the country’s ability to maintain the submarines and surface combat ships that are currently in service.

“Following completion of feasibility studies, the project will now move on to the design phase. A long-term analysis of the future submarine requirement will be conducted by the Implementation Committee for Efficiency Optimization in Defence Materiel Procurement,” the MoD statement said.

Source: G. O'Dwyer - DefenseNews

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