Sweden now has three modernised submarines in service. On Thursday, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) handed over HMS Halland to the Swedish Armed Forces following a multi-year mid-life modernisation carried out by Saab. This completes the upgrade of the entire Gotland class. According to the Swedish Armed Forces, this strengthens Swedish underwater capability and contributes to increased availability in the Baltic Sea region.

"It is pleasing that we now have three modern submarines in the Swedish Navy. This contributes to Sweden's national security and the alliance's joint deterrence and capability in the Baltic Sea region," says Commander Paula Wallenburg, Commanding Officer of the 1st Submarine Flotilla, in a press release from the agency.

HMS Halland is the third and final submarine in the Gotland class to undergo mid-life modernisation at the Saab Kockums shipyard in Karlskrona (southern Sweden, naval base). The work has taken almost three years and has included both a comprehensive general overhaul and the installation of some twenty systems of the same type that will be used in the next generation of Blekinge class (A26) submarines. The submarine was handed over by Saab Kockums to FMV in February this year.

One of the most visible changes is that HMS Halland has been extended by two metres through a new section. In total, nearly 200 components and systems have been replaced, upgraded or installed on board, including the Stirling AIP (Air Independent Propulsion) system, sensors, command and control systems, and adaptations for different maritime climates.

"The upgrade means that the Armed Forces' submarine capability is maintained at a high level while awaiting the next generation of submarines," says Ulf Pernholt, project manager at FMV, in a press release from the agency.

With HMS Halland back in operational service, the Navy achieves greater availability, improved endurance and increased training opportunities. According to Navy Chief Johan Norlén, demand for joint training with Swedish submarines is high within NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organisation).

"We have unique capabilities in the underwater dimension and we notice that we are sought after within NATO. One of our tasks is to share our knowledge with allies," he says in the same press release.