The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has contracted Saab to develop a Large Uncrewed Undersea Vehicle (LUUV), Saab announced on 29 August 2025.
While the project will be led by the FMV, Saab will be the prime contractor for the LUUV and will be responsible for the design, construction, and testing of the vehicle under the contract, which is valued at SEK 60 million (EUR 5.42 million).
Saab’s autonomous control system, Autonomous Ocean Core, which provides autonomous capabilities for vessels on and below the water surface, will be integrated into the LUUV’s systems, with the first sea trials planned for the summer of 2026.
As the need to monitor and map the seabed infrastructure and to detect and deter threats beneath the surface becomes increasingly urgent, the LUUV will be a sensor platform developed to have various capabilities. It will serve as a decision support tool for operators and will not initially be designed to carry weapons.
“It is gratifying that together with FMV and the Swedish armed forces, we have the opportunity to work quickly and together to develop a new advanced system in a short time,” Mats Wicksell, head of Saab’s Kockums business area, was quoted as saying in a company press release. “At Saab we get to demonstrate our ability to deliver systems that are both effective and adapted to current and future challenges. The project makes it possible to create innovative solutions that can bring significant progress in underwater technology and fit well with Saab’s already ongoing development work in autonomy,” he added.
