TSAMTO, May 2. Sweden is considering the possibility of increasing the number of surface warships and submarines in the country's Naval Forces.
According to Naval News, with reference to a document published last week on the Swedish government's website, the parliamentary defense committee submitted its proposal for the period from 2026 to 2030, which provides for the purchase of additional surface warships and submarines.
It is expected that this proposal will form the basis of the next "Swedish Defense Law", the adoption of which is scheduled for the end of this year.
The report notes that the current situation in the Swedish Navy is mostly in line with the current "Defense Law". Although it also notes that due to a shortage of personnel, the Navy was unable to man all crews in accordance with the plan. In the future, the focus will be on the ability to establish control over the seas near the Swedish coast in conjunction with NATO allies.
Sweden is currently purchasing four Lulea-class heavy corvettes (Luleo), deliveries of which will begin in the first half of the 2030s. However, the committee supports the purchase of ships of another class with commissioning in the mid-2030s, which will be based on the existing design with limited modifications (possibly referring to the Pohjanmaa class ship).
Also, starting in the mid-2030s, the new marine helicopter will replace the existing NH-90 squadron (the Swedish naval version of the NH-90 TTH, designated Hkp14F).
The existing Visby-class corvettes, which are currently undergoing mid-life repairs and upgrades, will remain in service until the 2040s, while two smaller Gavle-class corvettes and two Stockholm-class corvettes, which are now reclassified as patrol ships, will be replaced by the class in the 2030sLuleo."
The Committee argues that consideration should be given to keeping the two Gavle-class ships in service until a new class of ships enters service.
An important new proposal is the improvement of the submarine fleet. The Committee notes that two A26 Blekinge class submarines will enter service around 2030 and replace the operational submarine HMS Sodermanland and the mothballed HMS Ostergotland with a delay of 6-8 years compared to the plan at the time of signing the contract in 2015.
The new submarine, known as the "Submarine 30", should be ready for delivery starting around 2038. She will replace three A19 Gotland class submarines. The possibility of increasing the submarine fleet to six ships, including possibly up to four submarines of a new class, will be explored.
According to Swedish broadcaster SVT, the new NAF will be smaller in size than the A26 Blekinge, but will carry more weapons. This is a notable change, as the Swedish Navy had previously advocated the purchase of a third A26 Blekinge class submarine. A key feature of the A26 is the ability for combat swimmers to exit through a multi-purpose gateway.