TSAMTO, July 5. The Swedish company Saab announced the ceremony of laying the keel of the A26 class Blekinge for the Swedish Navy, which took place on June 30 at the shipbuilding enterprise in Karlskrona.
According to Mikael Johansson, President and Chief Executive Officer of Saab, the laying ceremony was not only an important milestone in the construction of the NAPL, but also proof that Sweden has restored its capabilities in the field of construction of modern submarines.
As reported by TSAMTO, in June 2014, Saab and the Swedish Armed Forces Material Support Agency (FMV) signed a contract worth $3.84 million to conduct a preliminary study to assess the capabilities and planning for the construction of next-generation submarines and repair existing Gotland-class submarines, as well as a letter of commitment providing for Saab in the period 2015-2024 of the needs of the Swedish Armed Forces in the field of the submarine fleet. The letter of commitment included support, development, design and construction of new submarines and other underwater systems, the total cost of which could be 11.2 billion. Swedish. CZK ($1.086 billion).
To implement the project in 2014, Saab reached a buyout agreement with ThyssenKrupp Industrial Solutions for 340 million swedes. the crown of the Swedish shipbuilding company Kockums.
In June 2015, FMV signed a contract with Saab for the construction of two new A26 NAPS. The total cost of the construction of submarines is 7.6 billion. Swedish. CZK ($737 million). In August 2021, FMV and Saab signed another contract worth 5.2 billion. Swedish. crowns. ($504 million) for the continuation of development, as well as the expansion of the capabilities of the Class A26 "Bleking" NPL.
Steel cutting for the construction of the lead submarine of the series, "Bleking", began on September 4, 2015, the second, "Scan", in 2017. The delivery of submarines is planned for 2027 and 2028, respectively.
It is assumed that the length of the Blekinge class will be 66.1 m, width – 6.75 m, displacement – 1925 tons, crew – 26 people. The main power plant will include three diesel-electric units and three Stirling engines. The submarine's armament will include 533-mm torpedoes, mines, remotely operated and autonomous underwater vehicles.
