Saab and Swedish Defense Forces Deploy Large Uncrewed Underwater Vehicle

The vehicle serves as a testbed for future underwater capabilities, designed to operate in tandem with existing naval assets like submarines. By leveraging Saab’s software-centric Autonomous Ocean Core, the system integrates advanced sensors and autonomous control protocols. According to Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s Naval business area, the speed of this development highlights a shift in how industry and government can translate emerging technology into practical, high-endurance underwater defense assets.

This first phase of the project is now complete, providing a foundation for Swedish authorities to evaluate future acquisitions of autonomous systems. Moving forward, the focus shifts to refining software and sensor integration to expand the vehicle's operational envelope. The initiative draws heavily on Sweden’s long-standing expertise in submarine design, combining traditional naval engineering with modern, rapid-deployment software cycles.