Sweden's Saab Eyes Business Opportunities to Modernise Australia's Submarines

03 Oktober 2021

Collins class submarine (photo : Aus DoD)

According to Saab, Australia's decision to buy nuclear submarines from the US and the UK, instead of conventional attack submarines from France as earlier planned, will mean that the life of its current submarines will have to be extended further compared to previous plans. Australia's present fleet of conventional submarines was developed in Sweden during the Cold War, which gives the Nordic country extra opportunities.

“The Collins-class submarines are basically a Swedish design, developed by Sweden and Kockums. They were developed at about the same time as the Gotland class, which still operates in Sweden,” Saab Kockums marketing and strategy manager Lars Brännström told national broadcaster SVT.

Saab estimates that it will take a very long time before the first nuclear submarines can be delivered by the US and the UK, which, in turn, creates a gap for the Swedish company.

Brännström estimated the contract to modernise Australia's six current submarines to cost up to SEK 40 billion ($4,6 billion).

“With the experience we have from having done the upgrades on the Gotland and Uppland submarines in Sweden, which is about the same generation as the Collins submarines, we are well-positioned to support a life extension programme of the Collins submarines,” Brännström said, emphasising that Saab will primarily answer for design, whereas a lot of production and development will be required on site in Australia.

Saab Kockums AB is a shipyard headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, owned by the Swedish defence company Saab Group. While it has a history of civil vessel construction, it is most renowned for its military corvettes and submarines.

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