Tested in Surface Vessel and Submarine Launch Modes

Saab, the Swedish armed forces and the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) have successfully conducted the first firing tests for the Saab Lightweight Torpedo (SLWT), the company announced on 9 June.

Conducted from a GOTLAND-class submarine and a VISBY-class corvette, the tests are the first of their kind for the new torpedo and were undertaken during February and March at Baltic ranges off Karlskrona. The objectives included safe launch viability, integration verification and verifying target seeker function.

“The Saab Lightweight Torpedo will provide the Swedish and Finnish Navy with the ability to deter and if necessary destroy hostile underwater and surface threats. Having completed these tests successfully is a major milestone in this joint project,” stated Görgen Johansson, Head of Saab’s business area Dynamics.

Development began with an order from FMV) in 2016 for a weapon to be deployed on Sweden’s submarine and corvette fleets. In January 2018, the Finnish Navy placed an order for the SLWT as part of the Squadron 2000 Mid-Life Upgrade Programme. It will operate the system onboard its upgraded HAMINA-class as well as the new POHJANMAA-class corvettes.

The SLWT is unique in its adaptation for difficult littoral underwater conditions such as those found in the Baltic Sea, while also being designed for operations in deeper waters. Its state-of-the-art design incorporates a fully digital homing system, which offers both fire-and-forget and wire-guided operation for target pursuit. It is a flexible system that can be launched from multiple platforms, including surface ships, helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft and submarines.

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