Saab launches the Swedish Navy’s HMS Halland, the last of three Gotland-class submarines, after conducting mid-life upgrades. Credit: Saab.

Saab has launched the Swedish Navy’s third and final Gotland-class (A19) submarine, HMS Halland, at its shipyard in Karlskrona following the boat’s mid-life upgrade on 13 February 2025.

The upgrade saw the replacement of more than 20 of the platform’s central systems, including sensors and command systems, besides a new range of technologies and components that will be used in the country’s two future Blekinge-class (A26) submarines.

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Halland will go on to servce in the Swedish Navy for many years to come with new capabilities, alongside her sister submarines HMS Gotland and HMS Uppland which have previously undergone similar mid-life modifications.

Halland

Sweden’s three Gotland-class (A19) diesel-electric (SSK) submarines commissioned between 1996-7; with Halland having served almost 30 years.

The submarines are fitted with four 533mm torpedo tubes and two 400mm torpedo tubes. The Bofors Underwater Systems Type 613 torpedoes are fired from the 533mm tubes.

Type 613 is a heavy-weight, high-speed, anti-submarine and anti-surface torpedoes with a range of more than 40km and speed of more than 40 knots.

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The submarine is equipped with two MTU diesel engines and two Kockums V4-275R Stirling Air Independent Propulsion units.

Undersea warfare in the Baltic Sea

“Securing critical underwater infrastructure and sea lanes is more important than ever,” observed Mats Wicksel, head of Saab’s business area Kockums. Particularly after, it is believed, a Russian ‘shadow vessel’ sabotaged an undersea power cable – Estlink 2 – running between Estonia and Finland in December 2024.

The new strategic context in this ‘gray zone’ – a stage of conflict what has not yet descended into outright war – will prompt Baltic nations to protect their infrastructure that enables their economies on the home front.

Already, Nato established a vigiliance mission known as Baltic Sentry, in which certain navies will exercise a presence in the Baltic. The Netherlands has sent a hydrographic ship, HNLMS Luymes, and a frigate, HNLMS Tromp to the contested space.

However, submarines will come to play a large part of the deterrence, particularly SSKs due to their smaller size to nuclear-powered submarines, allowing them to operate in littoral waters.

“The launch of HMS Halland is a testament to Saab’s ability to upgrade and deliver advanced submarines with the capabilities the Swedish Navy requires. With HMS Halland, the Swedish Navy, and by extension Nato, is given additional muscle to defend and monitor the Baltic Sea.”