Outfitting and equipment installation will take place in Nauta Shiprepair Yard, after which the vessel will undergo harbour and sea trials. The ship will then sail to Saab’s shipyard in Karlskrona to complete outfitting of special systems.
Saab was awarded the contract to design and build the SIGINT ship, which will replace the Swedish Navy’s existing HMS Orion, by the Swedish Material Defence Administration (FMV) in 2017. Subsequently Saab selected Nauta Shiprepair Yard, part of PGZ Group, to construct, launch and perform the sea trials of the ship.
The cooperation in ship construction between Saab and Nauta Shiprepair Yard is a direct result of the agreement, signed in late 2016, to establish a close partnership between Saab and PGZ in the planning and delivery of naval programmes.
The launching ceremony took place in PGZ Stocznia Wojenna in Gdynia was attended by representatives of the Polish government, the Polish Armaments Group (PGZ) and Saab, as well as representatives of the Royal Swedish Navy, the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), Swedish National Defence Radio Establishment (FRA), the Embassy of Sweden and invited guests.
The first steel cutting took place in March 2018 followed by the keel-laying only three months later. The new ship is 74 metres long with displacement of 2,200 tonnes.
Gunnar Wieslander, Senior Vice President, Head of Saab Business Area Kockums, said: “We are delighted to achieve a significant milestone within the contract for the construction of a signals intelligence ship, which will serve the Royal Swedish Navy.”
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